Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Gmat Words Small
Gmat Words Small
The passengers moved abaft of the ship so as to escape the fire in the front of the ship.
abandon
After failing for several years, he abandoned his dream of starting a grocery business.
abase
The mother’s public reprimand abased the girl. The insecure father, after failing to achieve his
own life-long goals,
abased his children whenever they failed.
abbreviate
His vacation to Japan was abbreviated when he acquired an illness treatable only in the United
States.
abdicate
Due to his poor payment record, it may be necessary to abdicate our relationship with the
client. aberrant (adj.) abnormal;
straying from the normal or usual path The aberrant flight pattern of the airplane alarmed the air
traffic controllers.
His aberrant behavior led his friends to worry the divorce had taken its toll.
abeyance (n.) a state of temporary suspension or inactivity Since the power failure, the town has
been in abeyance.
abhor
(v.) to hate
By the way her jaw tensed when he walked in, it is easy to see that she abhors him.
The dog abhorred cats, chasing and growling at them whenever he had the opportunity.
abject
The Haldemans lived in abject poverty, with barely a roof over their heads.
abjure
(v.) to give up
abnegation
(n.) a denial
The woman’s abnegation of her loss was apparent when she began to laugh.
abominate
Please do not abominate the guilty person until you hear the complete explanation.
abridge
The editor abridged the story to make the book easier to digest.
abrogate
abrupt
abscond
The newly wed couple will abscond from the reception to leave on the honeymoon.
absolve
The judge will absolve the person of all charges. After feuding for many years, the brothers
absolved each other for the
many arguments they had.
abstemious
In many abstemious cultures the people are so thin due to the belief that too much taken into the
body leads to
contamination of the soul. abstinence (n.) the act or process of voluntarily refraining from any
action or practice; self-
control; chastity In preparation for the Olympic games, the athletes practiced abstinence from
red meat and junk food,
adhering instead to a menu of pasta and produce.
abstruse
The topic was so abstruse the student was forced to stop reading.
The concept was too abstruse for the average student to grasp.
abysmal
accede
With defeat imminent, the rebel army acceded to hash out a peace treaty.
acclaim
Edward Albee’s brilliantly written Broadway revival of A Delicate Balance received wide
acclaim. accolade (n.) approving
or praising mention; a sign of approval or respect Rich accolades were bestowed on the returning
hero. Accolades flowed
into her dressing room following the opening-night triumph. accomplice (n.) co-conspirator;
partner; partner-in-crime The
bank robber’s accomplice drove the get-away car. accretion (n.)growth by addition; a growing
together by parts With the
accretion of the new members, the club doubled its original size. The addition of the new
departments accounts for the
accretion of the company.
accrue
Over the course of her college career, she managed to accrue a great deal of knowledge.
The savings were able to accrue a sizable amount of interest each year. During his many years
of collecting stamps, he
was able to accrue a large collection of valuable items. acerbic (adj.) tasting sour; harsh in
language or temper Too much
Bay Leaf will make the eggplant acerbic. The baby’s mouth puckered when she was given the
acerbic medicine. The
columnist’s acerbic comments about the First Lady drew a strong denunciation from the
President.
acquiesce
The group acquiesced to the new regulations even though they were opposed to them.
After a hard-fought battle, the retailers finally acquiesced to the draft regulations.
acrid
Although the soup is a healthy food choice, it is so acrid not many people choose to eat it.
The fire at the plastics factory caused an acrid odor to be emitted throughout the surrounding
neighborhood. acrimony
(n.) sharpness or bitterness in language or manner. The acrimony of her response was
shocking. adage (n.) an old
saying now accepted as being truthful The adage “do unto others as you wish them to do unto
you” is still widely practiced.
adamant
After taking an adamant stand to sell the house, the man called the real estate agency.
The girl’s parents were adamant about not allowing her to go on a dangerous backpacking trip.
addled
(adj.) rotten
adept
The skilled craftsman was quite adept at creating beautiful vases and candleholders.
adjure
adroit
adulation
adulterate
adversary
The peace treaty united two countries that were historically great adversaries. adverse (adj.)
negative; hostile;
antagonistic; inimical Contrary to the ski resort’s expectations, the warm weather generated
adverse conditions for a
profitable weekend. advocate (v.; n.) to plead in favor of; supporter; defender
Amnesty International advocates the cause
for human rights. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great advocate of civil rights. aesthetic (adj.) of
beauty; pertaining to taste
in art and beauty She found that her aesthetic sense and that of the artist were at odds. His
review made one wonder
what kind of aesthetic taste the critic had.
affable
Her affable puppy loved to play with children. affiliate (v.) to connect or associate with; to accept
as a member The hiking
club affiliated with the bird-watching club.
affinity
It turns out that the elements bear a strong affinity to each other.
aggrandize
The king wanted to aggrandize himself and his kingdom. aghast (adj.) astonished; amazed;
horrified; terrified; appalled
Stockholders were aghast at the company’s revelation. The landlord was aghast at his water bill.
agrarian
alacrity
On the first day of her new job, the recent college graduate was able to leave early after
completing all of her tasks with
alacrity.
alchemist
looking liquids.
alchemy
allegory
alleviate
allocate
There have been front row seats allocated to the performer’s family.
allude
(v.) to refer indirectly to something
Without stating that the defendant was an ex-convict, the prosecutor alluded to the fact by
mentioning his length of
unemployment. allure (v.; n.) to attract; entice; attraction; temptation; glamour The romantic
young man allured the
beautiful woman by preparing a wonderful dinner.
Singapore’s allure is its bustling economy. allusion (n.) an indirect reference (often literary); a hint
The mention of the pet
snake was an allusion to the man’s sneaky ways. In modern plays allusions are often made to
ancient drama.
aloof
Even though the new coworker was aloof, we attempted to be friendly. The calm defendant
remained aloof when he was
wrongly accused of fabricating his story.
altercation
A serious altercation caused the marriage to end in a bitter divorce. altruism (n.) unselfish
devotion to the welfare of
others After the organization aided the catastrophe victims, it was given an award for altruism.
She displayed such altruism by giving up all of her belongings and joining a peace corps in Africa.
altruistic
(adj.) unselfish
The altruistic volunteer donated much time and energy in an effort to raise funds for the children’s
hospital. amalgam (n.)
a mixture or combination (often of metals) The art display was an amalgam of modern and
traditional pieces. That ring is
made from an amalgam of minerals; if it were pure gold it would never hold its shape.
amalgamate
If the economy does not grow, the business may need to amalgamate with a rival company.
The three presidents decided to amalgamate their businesses to build one strong company.
amass
Over the years the sailor has amassed many replicas of boats.
The women amassed a huge collection of priceless diamonds and pearls.
ambiguous
The ambiguous law did not make a clear distinction between the new and old land boundary.
ambivalent
(adj.) undecided
ameliorate
amendment
The amendment in his ways showed there was still reason for hope.
amiable
(adj.) friendly
The newcomer picked the most amiable person to sit next to during the meeting.
amiss (adj.; adv.) wrong; awry; wrongly; in a defective manner Seeing that his anorak was gone,
he knew something was
amiss . Its new muffler aside, the car was behaving amiss.
amity
The amity between the two bordering nations put the populations at ease.
amorphous (adj.) with no shape; unorganized; having no determinate form The amorphous gel
seeped through the
cracks. The amorphous group quickly got lost.
The scientist could not determine the sex of the amorphous organism.
amortize (v.) to put money into a fund at fixed intervals The couple was able to amortize their
mortgage sooner than they
thought. anachronism (n.) something out of place in time (e.g., an airplane in 1492) The editor
recognized an
anachronism in the manuscript where the character from the 1500s boarded an airplane. He
realized that the film about
cavemen contained an anachronism when he saw a jet cut across the horizon during a hunting
scene.
analogy
The teacher used an analogy to describe the similarities between the two books.
Comparing the newly discovered virus with one found long ago, the scientist made an analogy
between the two
organisms.
anaphylaxis
The boy’s severe anaphylaxis to a series of medications made writing prescriptions a tricky
proposition. anarchist (n.)
one who believes that a formal government is unnecessary The yell from the crowd came from the
anarchist protesting the
government.
The anarchist attempted to overthrow the established democratic government of the new nation
and reinstate chaos and
disarray.
anchorage
Knowing the neighbors were right next door was an anchorage for the elderly
woman.
anecdote
The speaker told an anecdote about how he lost his shoes when he was young.
animosity
anoint
A member of the monarchy was anointed by the king. anomaly (n.) an oddity, inconsistency; a
deviation from the norm An
anomaly existed when the report listed one statistic, and the spokeswoman reported another.
In a parking lot full of Buicks, Chevys, and Plymouths, the Jaguar was an anomaly.
anonymous
(adj.) nameless; unidentified
Not wishing to be identified by the police, he remained anonymous by returning the money he had
stolen by sending it
through the mail.
antagonism
The antagonism was created by a misunderstanding. The rebellious clan captured a hostage to
display antagonism to
the new peace treaty.
antipathy
Her antipathy for large crowds convinced her to decline the invitation to the city.
apathy
He showed apathy when his relative was injured. The disheartened peasants expressed apathy
toward the new law
which promised new hope and prosperity for all. apocalyptic (adj.) pertaining to a discovery or
new revelation Science-
fiction movies seem to relish apocalyptic visions. apocryphal (adj.) counterfeit; of doubtful
authorship or authenticity The
man who said he was a doctor was truly apocryphal.
appease
apposite
Discussion of poverty was apposite to the curriculum, so the professor allowed it.
Without reenacting the entire scenario, the situation can be understood if apposite information is
given.
apprehensive
The nervous child was apprehensive about beginning a new school year.
approbatory
(adj.) approving or sanctioning
arable
When the land was deemed arable the farmer decided to plow. arbiter (n.) one who is authorized
to judge or decide The
decision of who would represent the people was made by the arbiter. arbitrary (adj.) based on
one’s preference or
judgment Rick admitted his decision had been arbitrary, as he claimed no expertise on the matter.
arcane
With an arcane expression, the young boy left the family wondering what sort of mischief he had
committed.
The wizard’s description of his magic was purposefully arcane so that others would be unable to
copy it.
archetype
This man was the archetype for scores of fictional characters. The scientist was careful with the
archetype of her
invention so that once manufacturing began, it would be easy to reproduce it.
ardent
The fans’ ardent love of the game kept them returning to watch the terrible team.
arduous
Completing the plans for the new building proved to be an arduous affair. Building a house is
arduous work, but the
result is well worth the labor. arid (adj.) extremely dry, parched; barren, unimaginative The terrain
was so arid that not one
species of plant could survive. Their thirst became worse due to the arid condition of
the desert. aromatic (adj.) having a
smell which is sweet or spicy The aromatic smell coming from the oven made the man’s mouth
water.
arrogant
arrogate
The teenager arrogated that he should be able to use his parent’s car whenever he
desired. articulate (v.; adj.) to utter
clearly and distinctly; clear, distinct; expressed with clarity; skillful with words It’s even more
important to articulate your
words when you’re on the phone.
You didn’t have to vote for him to agree that Adlai Stevenson was articulate.
artifice
The artifice of glass-making takes many years of practice. ascetic (n.; adj.) one who leads a
simple life of self-denial;
rigorously abstinent The monastery is filled with ascetics who have devoted their lives to religion.
aseptic
askance
asperity
(n.) harshness
The man used asperity to frighten the girl out of going. The asperity of the winter had most
everybody yearning for spring.
aspersion (n.) slanderous statement; a damaging or derogatory criticism The aspersion damaged
the credibility of the
organization. He blamed the loss of his job on an aspersion stated by his co-worker to his
superior.
aspirant
assess
She assessed the possible rewards to see if the project was worth her time and effort.
assiduous
It is necessary to be assiduous if a person wishes to make the most of his time at work.
He enjoys having assiduous employees because he can explain a procedure once and have it
performed correctly every
time.
assuage
The medication helped assuage the pain of the wound. astringent (n.; adj.) a substance that
contracts bodily tissues;
causing contraction; tightening; stern, austere After the operation an astringent was used on his
skin so that the stretched
area would return to normal.
astute
The astute lawyer’s questioning convinced the jury of the defendant’s guilt.
atrophy (v.; n.) to waste away, as from lack of use; to wither; failure to grow A few months after he
lost his ability to walk, his
legs began to atrophy. The atrophy of the muscles was due to the injury.
attenuate
atypical
(adj.) something that is abnormal
audacious
augment
august
auspicious
It was auspicious that the sun shone on the first day of the trip. The campaign had an auspicious
start, foreshadowing
the future. austere (adj.) having a stern look; having strict self-discipline The old woman always
has an austere look
about her. The austere teacher assigned five pages of homework each day.
authentic
authoritarian
(n.; adj.) acting as a dictator; demanding obedience The authoritarian made all of the rules but did
none of the work. Fidel
Castro is reluctant to give up his authoritarian rule. autocracy (n.) an absolute monarchy;
government where one
person holds power The autocracy was headed by a demanding man. She was extremely power-
hungry and therefore
wanted her government to be an autocracy.
autocrat
The autocrat in charge of the government was a man of power and prestige.
The autocrat made every decision and divided the tasks among his subordinates.
avarice (n.) inordinate desire for gaining and possessing wealth The man’s avarice for money kept
him at work through
the evenings and weekends.
aver
The witness was able to aver the identity of the defendant. awry (adj; adv.) crooked(ly);
uneven(ly); wrong; askew Hearing
the explosion in the laboratory, the scientist realized the experiment had gone awry.
azure
baleful
After she was fired, she realized it was a baleful move to point the blame at her superior.
banal
Attending parties became trite after a few weeks. It was a banal suggestion to have the annual
picnic in the park, since
that was where it had been for the past five years.
baneful
baroque
The baroque artwork was made up of intricate details which kept the museum-goers enthralled.
The baroque furnishings did not fit in the plain, modest home.
bastion
(v.) to gain
bauble
beget
beholden
(adj.) indebted to
The children were beholden to their parents for the car loan.
behoove
belittle
The unsympathetic friend belittled her friend’s problems and spoke of her own as the most
important.
bellicose
bemuse
benefactor
An anonymous benefactor donated $10,000 to the children’s hospital. beneficent (adj.) conferring
benefits; kindly; doing
good He is a beneficent person, always taking in stray animals and talking to people who need
someone to listen.
benevolent
benign
berate
The child was berated by her parents for breaking the china. bereft (v.; adj.) to be deprived of; to
be in a sad manner; hurt
by someone’s death The loss of his job will leave the man bereft of many luxuries. The widower
was bereft for many years
after his wife’s death.
beseech
besmirch
bestial
betroth
biased
(adj.) prejudiced; influenced; not neutral
The vegetarian had a biased opinion regarding what should be ordered for dinner. biennial (adj.;
n.) happening every two
years; a plant which blooms every two years The biennial journal’s influence seemed only
magnified by its infrequent
publication.
She has lived here for four years and has seen the biennials bloom twice. bilateral (adj.)
pertaining to or affecting both
sides or two sides; having two sides A bilateral decision was made so that both partners reaped
equal benefits from the
same amount of work.
blatant
blighted
The blighted tornado left only one building standing in its wake. blithe (adj.) happy; cheery; merry;
a cheerful disposition
The wedding was a blithe celebration.
bode
bombast
After he delivered his bombast at the podium, he arrogantly left the meeting.
The presenter ended his bombast with a prediction of his future success.
bombastic
(adj.) pompous; wordy; turgid
boor
The boor was not invited to the party, but he came anyway.
breadth
The table cloth was too small to cover the breadth of the table.
brevity
brindled
broach
brusque
His brusque answer was neither acceptable nor polite. bucolic (adj.) having to do with shepherds
or the country The
bucolic setting inspired the artist.
bumptious
(adj.) arrogant
bungler
The one who broke the crystal vase was a true bungler.
burgeon
(v.) to grow or develop quickly
The tumor appeared to burgeon more quickly than normal. After the first punch was thrown, the
dispute burgeoned into a
brawl. burlesque (v.; n.) to imitate in a non-serious manner; a comical imitation His stump
speeches were so hackneyed,
he seemed to be burlesquing of his role as a congressman.
burly
burnish
cabal
The very idea that there could be a cabal cast suspicion on the whole operation. cache (n.)
stockpile; store; heap; hiding
place for goods The town kept a cache of salt on hand to melt winter’s snow off the roads.
The cache for his jewelry was hidden under the bed.
cacophonous
The cacophonous sound from the bending metal sent shivers up our spines. cacophony (n.) a
harsh, inharmonious
collection of sounds; dissonance The beautiful harmony of the symphony was well enjoyed after
the cacophony coming
from the stage as the orchestra warmed up. The amateur band created more cacophony than
beautiful sound.
cajole
To cajole the disgruntled employee, the manager coaxed him with lies and sweet talk.
The salesman will cajole the couple into buying the stereo.
calamity
(n.) disaster
caliber
(n.) quality
callow
With the callow remark the young man demonstrated his age. Although the girl could be
considered an adult, the action
was very callow.
calumny
(n.) slander
I felt it necessary to speak against the calumny of the man’s good reputation.
canard
candid
cant
(n.) insincere or hypocritical statements of high ideals; the jargon of a particular group or
occupations The theater majors
had difficulty understanding the cant of the computer scientists.
The remarks by the doctor were cant and meant only for his associates. caprice (n.) a sudden,
unpredictable or
whimsical change The caprice with which the couple approached the change of plans was
evidence to their young age.
capricious
The capricious bride-to-be has a different church in mind for her wedding every few days.
captious
carte blanche
The designer was given carte blanche to create a new line for the fall.
cascade
The hikers stopped along the path to take in the beauty of the rushing cascade.
castigate
The mayor castigated the police chief for the rash of robberies.
cataclysm
The earthquake has been the first cataclysm in five years. catalyst (n.) anything which creates a
situation in which change
can occur The low pressure system was the catalyst for the nor’easter. catharsis (n.) a purging or
relieving of the body or
soul He experienced a total catharsis after the priest absolved his sins. Admitting his guilt served
as a catharsis for the
man.
caustic
The girl harmed her mother with her caustic remarks. His caustic sense of humor doesn’t go over
so well when people
don’t know what they’re in for.
cavil
(v.) to bicker
The children are constantly caviling.
censor
The children were allowed to watch the adult movie only after it had been censored. censure (n.;
v.) a disapproval; an
expression of disapproval; to criticize or disapprove of His remarks drew the censure of his
employers. A censure of the
new show upset the directors.
ceremonious
cessation
(n.)ceasing; a stopping
The cessation of a bad habit is often difficult to sustain. chafe (v.) to annoy, to irritate; to wear
away or make sore by
rubbing His constant teasing chafed her.
He doesn’t wear pure wool sweaters because they usually chafe his skin.
chaffing
The king was used to his jesters good-natured chaffing. chagrin (n.) a feeling of embarrassment
due to failure or
disappointment To the chagrin of the inventor, the machine did not work. She turned red-faced
with chagrin when she
learned that her son had been caught shoplifting.
charisma
She has such charisma that everyone likes her the first time they meet her. charlatan (n.) a
person who pretends to have
knowledge; an impostor; fake The charlatan deceived the townspeople.
It was finally discovered that the charlatan sitting on the throne was not the real king.
chary
chaste
Because the woman believed in being chaste, she would not let her date into the
house.
chastise
The dean chastised the first-year student for cheating on the exam.
cherish
chicanery
chimera
Perhaps he saw a flying saucer, but perhaps it was only a chimera. choleric (adj.) cranky;
cantankerous; easily moved to
feeling displeasure The choleric man was continually upset by his neighbors. Rolly becomes
choleric when his views are
challenged.
chortle
The chortles emanating from the audience indicated it wouldn’t be as tough a crowd as the stand-
up comic had
expected. churlishness (n.) crude or surly behavior; behavior of a peasant The fraternity’s
churlishness ran afoul of the
dean’ s office. The churlishness of the teenager caused his employer to lose faith
in him. circumlocution (n.) a
roundabout or indirect way of speaking; not to the point The man’s speech contained so much
circumlocution that I was
unsure of the point he was trying to make.
The child made a long speech using circumlocution to avoid stating that it was she who had
knocked over the lamp.
circumlocutory (adj.) being too long, as in a description or expression; a roundabout, indirect, or
ungainly way of
expressing something It was a circumlocutory documentary that could have been cut to half
its running time to say twice
as much.
circumspect
citadel
clandestine
(adj.) secret
clemency
The governor granted the prisoner clemency. The weather’s clemency made for a perfect
picnic. cloture (n.) a
parliamentary procedure to end debate and begin to vote Cloture was declared as the
parliamentarians readied to
register their votes. cloying (adj.) too sugary; too sentimental or flattering After years of marriage
the husband still gave
cloying gifts to his wife. Complimenting her on her weight loss, clothing and hairstyle was a
cloying way to begin asking
for a raise. coagulate (v.) to become a semisolid, soft mass; to clot The liquid will coagulate and
close the tube if left
standing.
coalesce
The bride and groom coalesced their funds to increase their collateral.
At the end of the conference the five groups coalesced in one room.
coda
By the end of the coda, I was ready to burst with excitement over the thrilling performance.
The audience knew that the concerto was about to end when they heard the orchestra begin
playing the coda.
coddle
codify
(v.) to organize laws or rules into a systematic collection The laws were codified by those whom
they affected. The intern
codified all the city’s laws into a computerized filing system. coffer (n.) a chest where money or
valuables are kept
The coffer that contained the jewels was stolen. cogent (adj.) to the point; clear; convincing in its
clarity and presentation
The lawyer makes compelling and cogent presentations, which evidently help him win 96 percent
of his cases.
cogitate
It is necessary to cogitate on decisions which affect life goals. The room was quiet while every
student cogitated during
the calculus exam. cognate (adj.; n.) having the same family; a person related through ancestry
English and German are
cognate languages. The woman was a cognate to the royal family. cognitive (adj.) possessing
the power to think or
meditate; meditative; capable of perception Cognitive thought makes humans adaptable to a
quickly changing
environment.
Once the toddler was able to solve puzzles, it was obvious that her cognitive abilities were
developing.
cognizant
She became alarmed when she was cognizant of the man following her. It was critical to
establish whether the defendant
was cognizant of his rights. coherent (adj.) sticking together; connected; logical; consistent The
course was a success
due to its coherent information. If he couldn’t make a coherent speech, how could he run for
office?
cohesion
collaborate
The two builders collaborated to get the house finished. colloquial (adj.) having to do with
conversation; informal speech
The colloquial reference indicated the free spirit of the group. When you listen to the difference
between spoken colloquial
conversation and written work, you realize how good an ear a novelist must have to write
authentic dialogue.
collusion
The authority discovered a collusion between the director and treasurer. comeliness (n.) beauty;
attractiveness in
appearance or behavior The comeliness of the woman attracted everyone’s attention.
commiserate
commodious
The new home was so commodious that many new pieces of furniture needed to be purchased.
communal
compatible
When repairing an automobile, it is necessary to use parts compatible with that make and model.
complacent
The CEO worries regularly that his firm’s winning ways will make it complacent.
The candidate was so complacent with his poll numbers that he virtually
stopped campaigning. complaisance (n.) the
quality of being agreeable or eager to please The complaisance of the new assistant made it easy
for the managers to
give him a lot of work without worrying that he may complain.
compliant
The slave was compliant with every order to avoid being whipped.
comport
(v.) fitting in
comprehensive
compromise
Labor leaders and the automakers compromised by agreeing to a starting wage of $16 an hour in
exchange for
concessions on health-care premiums. concede (v.) to acknowledge; admit; to surrender; to
abandon one’s position
After much wrangling, the conceded that the minister had a point. Satisfied with the recount, the
mayor conceded
graciously.
conceit
The man’s belief that he was the best player on the team was pure conceit.
conciliation
conciliatory
(adj.) to reconcile
The diplomat sought to take a conciliatory approach to keep the talks going.
concise
The concise instructions were printed on two pages rather than the customary five. conclave (n.)
any private meeting or
closed assembly The conclave was to meet in the executive suite. condescend (v.) to come down
from one’s position or
dignity The arrogant, rich man was usually condescending towards his servants.
condone
The loving and forgiving mother condoned her son’s life of crime I will condone your actions of
negligence.
confluence
Great cities often lie at the confluence of great rivers. confound (v.) to lump together, causing
confusion; to damn The
problem confounded our ability to solve it. Confound you, you scoundrel!
conglomeration
conjoin
(v.) to combine
conjure
(v.) to call upon or appeal to; to cause to be, appear, come The smell of the dinner conjured
images of childhood. The
magician conjured a rabbit out of a hat.
connivance
With the guard’s connivance, the convict was able to make his escape. connoisseur (n.) expert;
authority (usually refers to
a wine or food expert) They allowed her to choose the wine for dinner since she was the
connoisseur.
connotative (adj.) containing associated meanings in addition to the primary one Along with the
primary meaning of the
word, there were two connotative meanings.
The connotative meaning of their music was spelled out in the video.
consecrate
consequential
His long illness and consequential absence set him behind in his homework.
consort
conspicuous
The diligent and hardworking editor thought the obvious mistake was conspicuous. consternation
(n.) amazement or
terror that causes confusion The look of consternation on the child’s face caused her father to
panic.
constrain
The student was constrained to remain in her seat until the teacher gave her permission to leave.
consummation
Following the consummation of final exams, most of the students graduated. contemporary (adj.)
living or happening at
the same time; modern Contemporary furniture will clash with your traditional sectional.
contempt
(n.) scorn; disrespect
The greedy, selfish banker was often discussed with great contempt.
contentious
(adj.) quarrelsome
The contentious student was asked to leave the classroom. They hate his contentious behavior
because every
suggestion they give ends in a fight.
contest
I will attempt to contest the criminal charges against me. contiguous (adj.) touching; or adjoining
and close, but not
touching There are many contiguous buildings in the city because there is no excess land to allow
space between them.
contravene (v.) to act contrary to; to oppose or contradict The story of the accused contravened
the story of the witness.
The United Nations held that the Eastern European nation had contravened the treaty. contrite
(adj.) regretful;
sorrowful; having repentance Regretting his decision not to attend college, the contrite man did
not lead a very happy life.
contumacious
The man was put in jail for contumacious actions. contusion (n.) a bruise; an injury where the skin
is not broken The man
was fortunate to receive only contusions from the crash.
conundrum
I spent two hours trying to figure out the conundrum. The legend says that to enter the secret
passageway, one must
answer the ancient conundrum.
conventional
The bride wanted a conventional wedding ceremony, complete with white dresses, many flowers,
and a grand reception
party. Conventional telephones are giving way to videophones. converge (v.) to move toward
one point (opposite: diverge)
It was obvious that an accident was going to occur as the onlookers watched the two cars
converge.
The two roads converge at the corner.
conviviality
convoke
The teacher convoked her students in the auditorium to help prepare them for the play.
copious
corpulence
(n.) obesity
The corpulence of the man kept him from fitting into the seat.
correlate
The service man was asked to correlate the two computer demonstration pamphlets.
corroborate
The witness must corroborate the prisoner’s story if she is to be set free. coterie (n.) a clique; a
group who meet
frequently, usually socially A special aspect of campus life is joining a coterie. Every day after
school she joins her coterie
on the playground and they go out for a soda.
covenant
covetous
Covetous of her neighbor’s pool, she did everything she could to make things unpleasant..
cower
The tellers cowered in the corner as the bandit ransacked the bank. coy (adj.) modest; bashful;
pretending shyness to
attract Her coy manners attracted the man.
He’s not really that shy, he’s just being coy. crass (adj.) stupid or dull; insensitive; materialistic To
make light of someone’
s weakness is crass. They made their money the old-fashioned way, but still they were accused
of being crass.
My respect for the man was lowered when he made the crass remark.
craven
While many fought for their rights, the craven sat shaking, off in a corner somewhere.
Craven men will not stand up for what they believe in.
culpable
The convicted criminal still denies that he is culpable for the robbery.
curb
curmudgeon
The curmudgeon asked the children not to play near the house.
cursory
The detective’s cursory examination of the crime scene caused him to overlook the lesser clues.
cynic
(n.) one who believes that others are motivated entirely by selfishness.
The cynic felt that the hero saved the man to become famous.
dais
dally
dank
dauntless
dearth
The dearth of the coverage forced him to look for a new insurance agent.
debacle
The Securities and Exchange Commission and the stock exchanges implemented numerous
safeguards to head off
another debacle on Wall Street.
debase
The French are concerned that “Franglais,” a blending of English and French, will debase their
language.
debauchery
debilitate
The illness will debilitate the muscles in his legs. debonair (adj.) having an affable manner;
carefree; genial Opening the
door for another is a debonair action.
decadence
Some believe the decadence of Nero’s rule led to the fall of the empire.
deciduous
When the leaves began to fall from the tree we learned that it was deciduous.
decisiveness
Decisiveness is one of the key qualities of a successful executive. decorous (adj.) showing
decorum; propriety, good
taste This movie provides decorous refuge from the violence and mayhem that permeates the
latest crop of Hollywood
films. The decorous suit was made of fine material.
decry
The pastor decried all forms of discrimination against any minority group. defamation (n.) to harm
a name or reputation;
to slander The carpenter felt that the notoriousness of his former partner brought defamation to
his construction
business. deference (n.) a yielding of opinion; courteous respect for To avoid a confrontation, the
man showed deference
to his friend. The deference shown to the elderly woman’ s opinion was heartwarming.
deferential
After debating students living in the Sixth Ward for months, the mayor’s deferential statements
indicated that he had come
to some understanding with them.
defunct
The man lost a large sum of money when the company went defunct.
deign
(v.) condescend; stoop
He said he wouldn’t deign to dignify her statement with a response. Fired from his job as a
programmer analyst, Joe
vowed he would never deign to mop floors-even if he were down to his last penny.
deleterious
Deleterious fumes escaped from the overturned truck. deliberate (v.; adj.) to consider carefully;
weigh in the mind;
intentional The jury deliberated for three days before reaching a verdict. The brother’s deliberate
attempt to get his sibling
blamed for his mistake was obvious to all.
delineate
She delineated her plan so that everyone would have a basic understanding of it.
deliquesce
(v.) to dissolve
delusion
demise
demur
She hated animals, so when the subject of buying a cat came up, she demurred.
She was nominated to sit on the committee, but she demurred. The council president called for a
vote, and hearing no
demur, asked for a count by the clerk. denigrate (v.) to defame, to blacken or sully; to belittle
After finding out her evil
secret, he announced it to the council and denigrated her in public. Her attempt to denigrate the
man’s name was not
successful.
denounce
depict
deplete
Having to pay the entire bill will deplete the family’s savings. deposition (n.) a removal from office
or power; a testimony
Failing to act lawfully could result in his deposition. She met with her lawyer this morning to
review her deposition.
depravity
Drugs and money caused depravity throughout the once decorous community.
The depravity of the old man was bound to land him in jail one day. deprecate (v.) to express
disapproval of; to protest
against The environmentalists deprecated the paper companies for cutting down ancient forests.
depredation
The pharaoh’s once rich tomb was empty after centuries of depredation from grave
robbers.
deride
derision
A day of derision from the boss left the employee feeling depressed.
The derisive comment was aimed at the man’s life long enemy.
derogatory
He was upset because his annual review was full of derogatory comments.
descant
The man will descant on the subject if you give him too much speaking time.
desecrate
desist
The judge ordered the man to desist from calling his ex-wife in the middle of the night.
desolate
Driving down the desolate road had Kelvin worried that he wouldn’t reach a gas station in time.
despoil
despotism
destitute
One Bangladeshi bank makes loans to destitute citizens so that they may overcome their poverty.
Many of the city’s sections are destitute. desultory (adj.) moving in a random, directionless
manner The thefts were
occurring in a desultory manner making them difficult to track. detached (adj.) separated; not
interested; standing alone
Detached from modern conveniences, the islanders live a simple, unhurried life.
deter
determinate
The new laws were very determinate as far as what was allowed and what was not allowed.
devoid
The interplanetary probe indicated that the planet was devoid of any atmosphere.
dexterous
The dexterous gymnast was the epitome of grace on the balance beam.
diatribe
During the divorce hearings she delivered a diatribe full of the emotion pushing her away from her
husband.
dichotomy
The dichotomy within the party threatens to split it. The dichotomy between church
and state renders school prayer unconstitutional. dictum (n.) a formal statement of
either fact or opinion Computer programmers have a dictum: garbage in, garbage
out.
didactic
diffidence
(n.) a hesitation in asserting oneself
A shy person may have great diffidence when forced with a problem.
diffident
The director is looking for a self-assured actor, not a diffident one. Her diffident sister couldn’t
work up the courage to ask
for the sale. diffuse (adj.) spread out; verbose (wordy); not focused The toys were discovered in a
diffuse manner after the
birthday party. His monologue was so diffuse that all his points were lost. digress (v.) stray from
the subject; wander
from topic It is important to not digress from the plan of action.
dilettante
Though she played the piano occasionally, she was more of a dilettante.
diligence
Anything can be accomplished with diligence and commitment. diminutive (adj.; n.) smaller than
average; a small
person; a word, expressing smallness, formed when a suffix is added They lived in a diminutive
house.
din
dint
(n.) strength
The dint of the bridge could hold trucks weighing many tons. dirge (n.) a hymn for a
funeral; a song or poem expressing lament The mourners sang a traditional Irish
dirge .
disapprobation
(n.) disapproval
disarray
(n.) (state of) disorder
disavow
discerning
(adj.) distinguishing one thing from another; having good judgment He has a discerning eye for
knowing the original from
the copy. Being discerning about a customer’s character is a key qualification for a loan officer.
discomfit
discord
There was discord amidst the jury, and therefore a decision could not be made. discourse (v.) to
converse; to
communicate in an orderly fashion The scientists discoursed on a conference call for just five
minutes but were able to
solve three major problems.
The interviewee discoursed so fluently, she was hired on the spot. discreet (adj.) showing good
judgment in conduct;
prudent We confided our secret in Mary because we knew she’d be discreet. discrete (adj.)
separate; individually distinct;
composed of distinct parts There were four discrete aspects to the architecture of the home. The
citizens committee
maintained that road widening and drainage were hardly discrete issues.
discriminate
Being a chef, he discriminated carefully among ingredients. Reeling from the fact that senior
managers had been caught
on tape making offensive remarks, the CEO said he would not tolerate any of his firm’s employees
discriminating against
anyone for any reason. disdain (n.; v.) intense dislike; look down upon; scorn She showed great
disdain toward anyone
who did not agree with her. She disdains the very ground you walk upon.
disentangle
disheartened
After failing the exam, the student became disheartened and wondered if he would ever
graduate. disingenuous (adj.) not
frank or candid; deceivingly simple (opposite: ingenious) The director used a disingenuous remark
to make his point to
the student.
He always gives a quick, disingenuous response; you never get a straight answer. disinterested
(adj.) neutral; unbiased
(alternate meaning; uninterested) A disinterested person was needed to serve as arbitrator of the
argument.
disparage
After she fired him she realized that she had disparaged the value of his assistance.
disparate
They came from disparate backgrounds, one a real estate magnate, the other a custodian.
disparity
dispassionate
She was a very emotional person and could not work with such a dispassionate employer.
disperse
The pilots dispersed the food drops over a wide area of devastation.
disputatious
(adj.) argumentative; inclined to disputes
His disputatious streak eventually wore down his fellow parliament members.
The child was so disputatious he needed to be removed from the room. dissemble (v.) to pretend;
to feign; to conceal by
pretense The man dissembled his assets shamelessly to avoid paying alimony. Agent 007 has a
marvelous ability to
dissemble his real intentions.
disseminate
dissent
They agreed that something had to be done, but dissented on how to do it. dissonance (n.)
musical discord; a mingling
of inharmonious sounds; nonmusical; disagreement; lack of harmony Much twentieth-century
music is not liked by
classical music lovers because of the dissonance it holds and the harmonies it
lacks. The dissonance of his
composition makes for some rough listening.
dissonant
Despite several intense rehearsals, the voices of the choir members continued to be dissonant.
The dissonant nature of the man’s temperament made the woman fearful to approach him with
the new idea.
distant
distention
The bulge in the carpet was caused by the distention of the wood underneath. dither (v.; n.) to act
indecisively; a confused
condition She dithered every time she had to make a decision. Having to take two tests in one
day left the student in a
dither.
diverge
The path diverges at the old barn, one fork leading to the house, and the other leading to the
pond.
The wide, long river diverged into two distinct separate rivers, never again to join.
diverse
divestiture
When it was found the team cheated, there was a divestiture of their crown.
docile
We needed to choose a docile pet because we hadn’t the patience for a lot of training. document
(n.; v.) official paper
containing information; to support; substantiate; verify They needed a written document to prove
that the transaction
occurred. Facing an audit, she had to document all her client contacts. doggerel (n.) verse
characterized by forced rhyme
and meter Contrary to its appearance, doggerel can contain some weighty messages.
dogma
dogmatic
The dogmatic statement had not yet been proven by science. The student’s dogmatic
presentation annoyed his
classmates as well as his instructor.
dormant
(adj.) as if asleep
doting
(adj.) excessively fond of
doughty
dowdy
The dowdy girl had no buttons on her coat and the threads were falling apart.
dubious (adj.) doubtful; uncertain; skeptical; suspicious Many people are dubious about the
possibility of intelligent life on
other planets.
duplicity
(n.) deception
duress
The policewoman put the man under duress in order to get a confession. The Labor Department
inspector needed to
establish whether the plant workers had been held under duress.
earthy
(adj.) unrefined
ebullience
She emanated ebullience as she skipped and sang down the hallway after learning of her
promotion.
eccentric
People like to talk with the eccentric artist since he has such different views on everyday subjects.
Wearing polka dot pants and a necklace made of recycled bottle tops is considered eccentric.
ecclesiastic
Ecclesiastic obligations include attending mass. eclectic (adj.) picking from various possibilities;
made up of material
from various sources You have eclectic taste.
economical
With her economical sense she was able to save the company thousands of dollars.
edifice
The edifice rose 20 stories and spanned two blocks. edify (v.) to build or establish; to instruct and
improve the mind
According to their schedule, the construction company will edify the foundation of the building in
one week.
The teachers worked to edify their students through lessons and discussion.
educe
efface
Hiding in the woods, the soldier was effaced by his camouflage uniform. effeminate (adj.) having
qualities attributed to a
woman; delicate A high-pitched laugh made the man seem effeminate. effervescence (n.)
liveliness; spirit; enthusiasm;
bubbliness Her effervescence was contagious; she made everyone around her happy.
effigy
Demonstrators carried effigies of the dictator they wanted overthrown. effluvium (n.) an outflow of
vapor of invisible
particles; a noxious odor The effluvium from the exhaust had a bad smell. It was difficult to
determine from where the
effluvium issued.
effrontery
(n.) arrogance
effusive
The effusive currents rush through the broken dam. egocentric (adj.) self-centered, viewing
everything in relation to
oneself The egocentric professor could not accept the students’ opinions as valid.
egress
elaboration
The mayor called for an elaboration on the ordinance’s first draft. elegy (n.) a poem of lament and
praise for the dead
Upon conclusion of the elegy, the casket was closed. ellipsis (n.) omission of words that would
make the meaning clear
The accidental ellipsis confused all those who heard the speech.
eloquence
elucidate
elusive
Even the experienced, old fisherman admitted that the trout in the river were quite elusive.
emanate
(v.) to emit
Happiness emanates from the loving home.
embarkation
The embarkation into self-employment was a new start for the woman.
embellish
eminence
After toiling in the shadows for years, at last she achieved eminence. The eminence of the
institution can be seen in the
impact of its research. emollient (adj.) softening or soothing to the skin; having power to soften or
relax living tissues
When hands become dry, it may be necessary to soothe them with an emollient lotion.
emulate
enamored
encomium
The sitcom actress gave her co-stars a long encomium as she accepted her Emmy.
encroach
It is unlawful to encroach on another’s private property. encumber (v.) to hold back; to hinder; to
burden, load down The
review of the ethic’s committee encumbered the deal from being finalized.
A brace will encumber the girl’s movement. endemic (adj.) native to a particular area; constantly
present in a particular
country or locality The endemic fauna was of great interest to the anthropologist. A fast-paced
style is endemic to those
who live in New York City.
endorse
The entire community endorsed the politician who promised lower taxes and a better school
system. enervate (v.) to
weaken; to deprive of nerve or strength The sickness enervates its victims until they can no longer
get out of bed.
enfeeble
The illness will enfeeble anyone who catches it. enfranchised (v.) to free from obligation; to admit
to citizenship The
player was enfranchised when the deal was called off. The recent immigrants were enfranchised
when they took their
oath to their new country.
engender
The group attempted to engender changes to the law. enhance (v.) to improve; compliment;
make more attractive The
new fuel enhanced the performance of the rocket’s engines.
enigma
To all of the searchers, the missing child’s location remained a great enigma.
enigmatic
(adj.) baffling
ennui
Ennui set in when the children realized they had already played with all the toys.
eon
ephemeral
Living alone gave him an ephemeral happiness, soon to be replaced with utter loneliness. epicure
(n.) a person who has
good taste in food and drink As an epicure, Lance is choosy about the restaurants he visits.
epigram
The poet wrote an epigram about the upcoming election. epilogue (n.) closing section of a play or
novel providing further
comment. The epilogue told us the destiny of the characters.
epiphany
epitaph
(n.) an inscription on a monument; in honor or memory of a dead person The epitaph described
the actions of a brave
man.
epitome
The woman chosen to lead the dancers was the epitome of true grace. equanimity (n.) the quality
of remaining calm and
undisturbed Equanimity can be reached when stress is removed from life. equinox (n.) precise
time when day and night
is of equal length On the equinox we had twelve hours of night and day.
equivocal
Scientific evidence was needed before the equivocal hypothesis was accepted by the doubting
researchers.
equivocations
The equivocations by the man sent the search team looking in the wrong direction. eradication
(n.) the act of annihilating,
destroying, or erasing Some have theorized that the eradication of the dinosaurs was due to a
radical change in climate.
errant
erratic
(adj.) unpredictable; irregular
His erratic behavior was attributed to the shocking news he had received.
The kitten’s erratic behavior was attributed to the owner’s cruel method of disciplining his pet.
erroneous
The reporter’s erroneous story was corrected by a new article that stated the truth. erudite (adj.)
having a wide knowledge
acquired through reading The woman was so erudite, she could recite points on most any subject.
eschew
Eschew the traffic and you may arrive on time. esoteric (adj.) understood by only a chosen few;
confidential The esoteric
language was only known by the select group. We have had a number of esoteric conversations.
estimable
ethereal
The ethereal quality of the music had a hypnotic effect. The dancer wore an ethereal outfit which
made her look like an
angel. ethnic (adj.) pertaining to races or peoples and their origin classification, or characteristics
Ethnic foods from five
continents were set up on the table.
eulogy
The eulogy was a remembrance of the good things the man accomplished in
his lifetime. euphemism (n.) the use of a
word or phrase in place of one that is distasteful The announcer used a euphemism when he
wanted to complain.
euphony
The gently singing birds created a beautiful euphony. The euphony created by the orchestra was
due to years of practice.
evanescent (adj.) vanishing quickly; dissipating like a vapor The evanescent mirage could only be
seen at a certain angle.
evasion
The company was charged with tax evasion, as they did not pay all that they owed.
evoke
Seeing her only daughter get married evoked tears of happiness from the mother.
exculpate
The therapy session will exculpate the man from his guilty feelings.
execute
The evil, murderous man was executed for killing several innocent children.
exemplary
The honor student’s exemplary behavior made him a role model to the younger children.
Employees of the month are chosen for their exemplary service to the firm.
exhaustive
It took an exhaustive effort, using many construction workers, to complete the new home by the
deadline.
exhume
The scientists exhumed the body from the grave to test the body’s DNA. The next episode will
exhume the real betrayer.
exigent (adj.) a situation calling for immediate attention; needing more than is reasonable The
exigent request for more
assistance was answered quickly. The bank seemed to feel that another extension on their
loan payment was too
exigent a request to honor.
exonerate
Hopefully, the judge will exonerate you of any wrongdoing. exorbitant (adj.) going beyond what is
reasonable; excessive
Paying hundreds of dollars for the dress is an exorbitant amount.
exotic
Many people asked the name of her exotic perfume. The menu of authentic Turkish cuisine
seemed exotic to them,
considering they were only accustomed to American food. expedient (adj.) convenient in
obtaining a result; guided by self-
interest The mayor chose the more expedient path rather than the more correct one.
There is no expedient method a teenager will not resort to in order to get the keys to a car of their
own.
expedite
explicit
The explicit recipe gave directions for making a very complicated dessert.
exposition
The exposition by the witness substantiated the story given by the prisoner.
expunge
extant
(adj.) existing; refers especially to books or documents Some of my ancestor’s letters remain
extant. extemporize (v.) to
improvise; to make it up as you go along It was necessary for the musician to extemporize when
his music fell off the
stand.
extol
extraneous
During the long, boring lecture, most people agreed that much of the information was extraneous.
extricable
exultation
Exultation was evident by the partying and revelry. facetious (adj.) joking in an awkward or
improper manner His facetious
sarcasm was inappropriate during his first staff meeting.
facilitate
The new ramp by the door’s entrance facilitated access to the building for those in wheelchairs.
facsimile
The facsimile of the elaborate painting was indistinguishable from the original.
faction (n.) a number of people in an organization working for a common cause against the main
body A faction of the
student body supported the president’s vie .
fallacious
(adj.) misleading
A used car salesman provided fallacious information that caused the naive man to purchase the
old, broken car.
fallible
By not differentiating themselves from the popular band, the group was especially fallible.
fanatic
The terrorist group was comprised of fanatics who wanted to destroy those who disagreed with
them.
fastidious
The fastidious girl would not accept any offers as suitable. The woman was extremely fastidious,
as evident in her
occasional fainting spells. fathom (v.; n.) to understand; a nautical unit of depth It was difficult to
fathom the reason for
closing the institution. The submarine cruised at 17 fathoms below the surface.
fatuous
fealty
(n.) loyalty
The baron was given land in exchange for his fealty to the king.
feasible
fecund
(adj.) productive
The construction crew had a fecund day and were able to leave early.
feign
(v.) pretend
It is not uncommon for a child to feign illness in order to stay home from school. feint (v.; n.) to
pretend to throw a punch,
as in boxing; a fake show intended to deceive The fighter feinted a left hook just before he went
for the knockout.
ferment
The rally cry was meant to ferment and confuse the opponent. ferret (v.; n.) to force out of hiding;
to search for; a small,
weasel-like mammal The police will ferret the fugitive out of his hiding place.
fervent
They have a fervent relationship that keeps them together every minute of every day.
fervid
fervor
The crowd was full of fervor as the candidate entered the hall. fester (v.) to become more and
more virulent and fixed His
anger festered until no one could change his mind.
fetid
The fetid smell led us to believe something was decaying in the basement. fetish (n.) anything to
which one gives
excessive devotion The clay figure of a fertility goddess was a fetish from an ancient civilization.
fetter
fickle
He is quite fickle; just because he wants something today does not mean he will want it tomorrow.
Because the man was fickle he could not be trusted to make a competent decision.
fidelity
figment
finite
It was discovered decades ago that the universe is not finite; it has unknown limits which cannot
be measured.
fissure
flaccid
flag
flagrant
flamboyant
The flamboyant nature of the couple was evident in their loud clothing.
fledgling
The fledgling mountain climber needed assistance from the more experienced mountaineers.
flinch
flippant
The teacher became upset with the flippant answer from the student.
flout
fluency
The child’s fluency in Spanish and English was remarkable. The immigrant acquired a fluency in
English after studying
for only two months.
flux
With the flux of new students into the school, space was limited.
foist
foray
forbearance
forensic
The forensic squad dealt with the legal investigation. formidable (adj.) something which causes
dread or fear The
formidable team caused weak knees in the opponents.
fortitude
fortuitous
foster
After the severe storm the gardener fostered many of his plants back to health.
fractious
fraught
frenetic
(adj.) frenzied
fret
frivolity
The hard-working students deserved weekend gatherings filled with frivolity. forward (adj.) not
willing to yield or comply
with what is reasonable The executive had to deal with a froward peer who was becoming
increasingly difficult.
frugality
Preparing to save money to send their daughter to college, the parents practiced extreme frugality
for several years.
fulminate
It is impolite to fulminate someone for your mistakes. Senator Shay fulminated against her
opponent’s double-standard
on campaign finance reform.
fulsome
fundamental
furtive
fustian
futile
It was a futile decision to invest in that company since they never made any money.
gaffe
(n.) a blunder
gainsay
With Senator Bowker the only one to gainsay it, the bill passed overwhelmingl. galvanize (v.) to
stimulate as if by electric
shock; startle; excite The pep rally will galvanize the team. gamut (n.) a complete range; any
complete musical scale The
woman’s wardrobe runs the gamut from jeans to suits. His first composition covered the entire
gamut of the major scale.
garbled
The interference on the phone line caused the data to become garbled on the computer screen.
garish
garner
garrulous
No one wanted to speak with the garrulous man for fear of being stuck in a long, one-sided
conversation.
gauche
Unfortunately, the girl was too gauche to fit into high society.
gauntlet
The gauntlet saved the man’s hand from being burned in the fire.
generic
While generic drugs are often a better value, it always a good idea to consult your doctor before
purchasing them.
genial
germane
gibber
They did not want him to represent their position in front of the committee since he
was prone to gibbering when speaking in front of an audience. glib (adj.) smooth
and slippery; speaking or spoken in a smooth manner The salesman was so glib that
the customers failed to notice the defects in the stereo.
gloat
She gloated over the fact that she received the highest score on the exam, annoying
her classmates to no end.
glutton
(n.) overeater
gnarled
The raven perched in the gnarled branches of the ancient tree. goad (n.; v.) a driving impulse; to
push into action His
goad urged him to pursue the object of his affection. Thinking about money will goad him into
getting a job.
gourmand
grandiose
gravity
(n.) seriousness
The gravity of the incident was sufficient to involve the police and the FBI.
gregarious
Gregarious people may find those jobs with human contact more enjoyable than jobs that isolate
them from the public.
guffaw
A comedian’s success is assured when the audience gives forth a guffaw following his jokes.
guile
By using his guile, the gambler almost always won at the card table.
guise
(n.) appearance
The undercover detective, under the guise of friendship, offered to help the drug runner make a
connection.
gullible
hackneyed
Just when you thought neckties were becoming a hackneyed gift item, along comes the Grateful
Dead collection.
haggard
The lawn in front of the abandoned house added to its haggard look. He looked as haggard as
you would expect a new
father of quadruplets to look.
Just by looking at her haggard features, you can tell she has not slept for many hours.
halcyon
The old man fondly remembered his halcyon days growing up on the farm.
hamper
haphazard
He constantly misplaced important documents because of his haphazard way of running his
office.
hapless
harangue
(n; v.) a lengthy, heartfelt speech; to talk or write excitedly We sat patiently and listened to her
harangue. When he finally
stopped his haranguing, I responded calmly. harbor (n.; v.) a place of safety or shelter; to give
shelter or to protect. We
stood at the dock as the ship sailed into the harbor.
The rabbits used the shed as a harbor from the raging storm. Her decision to harbor a known
criminal was an unwise
one. harmonious (adj.) having proportionate and orderly parts The challenge for the new
conductor was to mold his
musicians’ talents into a harmonious orchestra. haughty (adj.) proud of oneself and scornful of
others. The haughty ways
she displayed her work turned off her peers. The haughty girl displayed her work as if she were
the most prized artist.
hedonistic
The group was known for its hedonistic rituals. Hot tubs, good food, and a plethora of leisure time
were the hallmarks of
this hedonistic society.
heed
(v.) obey; yield to
If the peasant heeds the king’s commands, she will be able to keep her land.
hefty
heresy
In this town it is considered heresy to want parking spaces to have meters. heretic (n.) one who
holds opinion contrary to
that which is generally accepted Because he believed the world was round, many people
considered Columbus to be a
heretic.
hiatus
Summer vacation provided a much-needed hiatus for the students. Between graduation and the
first day of his new job,
Tim took a threemonth hiatus in the Caribbean. hierarchy (n.) a system of persons or things
arranged according to rank I
was put at the bottom of the hierarchy while Jane was put at the top.
hoary
homage
The police officers paid homage to their fallen colleague with a ceremony that celebrated her life.
homeostasis
Knowing the seriousness of the operation, the surgeons were concerned about restoring the
patient to homeostasis.
homily
The preacher gave a moving homily to the gathered crowd. hone (n.; v.) something used to
sharpen; to sharpen; to long
or yearn for He ran the knife over the hone for hours to get a razor-sharp edge. The
apprenticeship will give her the
opportunity to hone her skills.
hubris
(n.) arrogance
Some think it was hubris that brought the president to the point of impeachment.
humility
(n.) lack of pride; modesty
Full of humility, she accepted the award but gave all the credit to her mentor.
hybrid
The flower was a hybrid of three different flowers. hyperbole (n.) an exaggeration, not to be taken
seriously The full moon
was almost blinding in its brightness, he said with a measure of hyperbole.
hypocritical
His constituents believed that the governor was hypocritical for calling for a moratorium on
“negative” campaigning while
continuing to air some of the most vicious ads ever produced against his opponent. Most of his
constituents believed
the governor was hypocritical for calling his opponent a “mud-slinging hack” when his own
campaign had slung more
than its share of dirt.
hypothetical
A hypothetical situation was set up so we could practice our responses. The professor was good
at using hypothetical
situations to illustrate complicated theories.
(n.) one who smashes revered images; an attacker of cherished beliefs
Nietzche’s attacks on government, religion, and custom made him an iconoclast of grand
dimension.
ideology
idiosyncrasy
Her tendency to bite her lip is an idiosyncrasy. idyll (n.) a written piece of work describing a
peaceful rural scene Reading
the idyll made me think of the family farm.
igneous
When the sun shone upon it, the material took on an igneous quality.
ignoble
The king was adamant about keeping his son from wedding an ignoble serf.
ignominious
illuminate
illusive
illusory
imbue
(v.) to soak or stain; permeate
immaculate
imminent
The storm clouds warned of the imminent downpour. immune (adj.) exempt from or protected
against something
Doesn’t everybody wish to be immune from the common cold?
immutable
The ties that bind alumni to their university are immutable . The man’s immutable schedule soon
became boring.
impale (v.) pierce through with, or stick on; something pointed The knight was impaled by the
sharp lance.
impartial
Exasperated by charges to the contrary, the judge reiterated that he had bent over backwards to
be impartial in a case
that crackled with emotion. impasse (n.) a situation that has no solution or escape The workers
and administration were
at an impasse in their negotiations.
impassive
Even when his father died he gave an impassive response and walked out tearless.
impecunious
impede
(v.) to stop the progress of; obstruct
impenitent
It was obvious after his impenitent remark to the press that the defendant felt no remorse for his
crime.
imperious
imperturbable
The imperturbable West Point graduate made a fine negotiator. impervious (adj.) impenetrable;
not allowing anything to
pass through; unaffected The vest that the policeman wears is impervious to bullets. The child
was impervious to the
actions of the adult. impetuous (adj.) moving with great force; done with little thought The
impetuous movement took the
art community by storm. The impetuous teenager spent her money without considering what she
needed the new
purchase for.
Dagmar came to regret his impetuous actions, once he realized what he’d done.
The pirate’s men boarded the ship with impetuous matter-of-factness. impiety (n.) irreverence
toward God; lack of
respect The bishop condemned the impiety of the celebrity’s assertions. Impiety is evident in the
way many people
commit rude actions.
implacable
The baby was so implacable a warm bottle would not settle her. The two year old was an
implacable child; he cried no
matter what his parents did to comfort him. implement (v.; n.) to carry into effect; something used
in a given activity In
case of emergency implement the evacuation plan immediately. The rack is an implement of
torture.
implication
impolitic
If you are planning to invest your money, impolitic decisions may be costly.
imprecate
impromptu
Her impromptu speech was well-received, giving her new confidence in her ability to speak off the
cuff.
improvident
impudent
Impudent actions caused him to be unpopular. impugn (v.) to attack with words; to question the
truthfulness or integrity
The defense lawyer impugned the witness’s testimony, which set back the prosecution’s case.
If I believe the man is a fraud I will impugn his comments. imputation (n.) to charge, to attribute a
fault or misconduct to
another The imputation of guilt was made by the judge.
inadvertent
inarticulate
(adj.) speechless; unable to speak clearly
inaudible
incessant
inchoate
The inchoate building appeared as if it would be a fast-food restaurant. The outline of the thesis
was the inchoate form
of a very complex theory.
incidental
The defense lawyer argued that the whereabouts of the defendant’s sneakers were only incidental
to the commission of
the crime. incisive (adj.) getting to the heart of things; to the point His incisive questioning helped
settle the matter
quickly.
inclined
The man’s ear for music indicated he was inclined toward learning an instrument.
The hillside was inclined just enough to make for a fairly serious climb.
incognito
The federal Witness Protection Program makes its charges permanently incognito.
incoherent
Following the accident, the woman went into shock and became incoherent as medics struggled
to understand her.
incommodious
(adj.) inconvenient
The incommodious illness caused her to miss an important interview. incompatible (adj.)
disagreeing; disharmonious
not compatible Being incompatible with each other, children were assigned to sit on opposite
sides of the room.
incompetence
The alleged incompetence of the construction crew would later become the subject of a class-
action suit.
inconclusive
The results being inconclusive, the doctors continued to look for a cause of the illness.
incorporeal
incorrigible
(adj.) not capable of correction or improvement The mischievous boy was an incorrigible practical
joker.
incredulous
(adj.) skeptical
The incredulous look on his face led me to believe he was not convinced of its importance.
The reporter was incredulous on hearing the computer executive’s UFO account. inculcate (v.) to
impress upon the
mind, as by
insistent urging I will inculcate the directions if people are unsure of them. incursion (n.) an entry
into, especially when
not
desired The incursion by enemy forces left the country shocked.
indecipherable
(adj.) illegible
The scribbling on the paper is indecipherable. indelible (adj.) that which cannot be blotted out or
erased The photograph
of Neil
Armstrong setting foot on the moon made an indelible impression on all who saw it. indemnify (v.)
to insure against or
pay for
loss or damage It is important to indemnify your valuables with a reliable insurance company.
indict
The grand jury indicted her and her husband for embezzlement and six other lesser counts.
indifferent
(adj.) unconcerned
indigence
The family’s indigence was evident by the run-down house they lived in.
indigenous
indignant
indolent
If we find him goofing off one more time, we won’t be able to escape the fact that he’s indolent.
indomitable
indubitably
indulgent
ineluctable
inept
She would rather update the budget book herself, since her assistant is so inept.
inert
Inert gases like krypton and argon can enhance window insulation.
inevitable
infamous
After producing machines that developed many problems, the production company became
infamous for poor
manufacturing.
The infamous gang was known for robbery.
infamy
The town had only 98 residents, so all it took was one bad apple to bring infamy on the whole
place.
infer
From the broad outline he supplied it was easy to infer that the applicant knew a great deal about
trains.
ingenious
(adj.) clever, resourceful
ingenue
As an ingenue, Corky had no experience outside of her small town. ingenuous (adj.) noble;
honorable; candid; also
naive, simple, artless, without guile The ingenuous doctor had a great bedside manner, especially
when it came to
laying out the full implications of an illness.
ingratiate
The man was hoping to ingratiate himself with his wife by buying a bouquet of flowers and candy.
ingratitude
(n.) ungratefulness
When she failed to send a thank-you card, her friend took it as a sign of ingratitude . inherent
(adj.) part of the essential
character; intrinsic A constant smile is inherent in pageant competitors. The inherent desire to do
well is present
throughout the family.
inimical
The chess player directed an inimical stare at his opponent to knock him off his game.
iniquitous
The verbal abuse towards the man was truly iniquitous. initiate (v.; n.) begin; admit into a group; a
person who is in the
process of being admitted into a group He initiated the dinner discussion by asking his father to
borrow the car. As an
initiate to the Explorers, George was expected to have a taste for the outdoor life.
innate
innocuous
(adj.) harmless; dull; innocent
He couldn’t bear to sit through another innocuous lecture. The teens engaged in an innocuous
game of touch football.
innovate (v.) introduce a change; depart from the old She innovated a new product for the home
construction market.
innuendo
The student made an innuendo referring to the professor. The office was rife with innuendo that a
takeover was in the
works.
inquisitive (adj.) eager to ask questions in order to learn An inquisitive youngster is likely to
become a wise adult.
insinuate
He will insinuate his need for a vacation by saying how tired he has been lately.
insipid
Many people left the insipid movie before it was finished. Declaring the offerings insipid, the critic
grudgingly awarded the
restaurant one star.
insolvent
The insolvent state of his bank account kept him from writing any checks.
instigate
insubordinate
The boy’s insubordinate behavior was a constant source of tension between the school and his
parents. insular (adj.)
having the characteristics of an island; narrow-minded, provincial After walking along the entire
perimeter and seeing
that the spit of land was actually insular, we realized it was time to build a boat. His insular
approach to education
makes him a pariah among liberals.
insularity
The insularity of the country made it a great place to build a resort. intangible (adj.) incapable of
being touched;
immaterial Intangible though it may be, sometimes just knowing that the work you do helps others
is reward enough.
intercede
The superpowers were called on to intercede in the talks between the two warring nations.
intermittent
Luckily, the snow was only intermittent, so the accumulation was slight. The intermittent blinking
light was distracting.
intractable (adj.) stubborn, obstinate; not easily taught or disciplined Every teacher in the school
became frustrated with
the intractable student and sent him to the principal’s office. An intractable pet can be very
frustrating..
intransigent
(adj.) uncompromising
With intransigent values, no amount of arguing could change her mind. The baseball owners and
players remained
intransigent, so a deal was never struck.
intrepid
The intrepid photographer flew on some of the fiercest bombing raids of the war.
Her intrepid actions deserved a medal. inundate (v.) to flood; to overwhelm with a large amount of
The broken water main
inundated the business district with water. Surfing the Internet can inundate you with information:
That’s why a web
browser comes in handy.
inured
Beekeepers eventually become inured to bee stings. inveterate (adj.) a practice settled on over a
long period of time The
inveterate induction ceremony bespoke one of the school’s great traditions.
invoke
iota
irascible
The irascible teenager was known to cause fights when upset. Knowing that the king was
irascible, the servants
decided not to tell him about the broken crystal.
ironic
Is it not ironic that Americans will toss out leftover French fries while people around the globe
continue to starve?
irrational
It would be irrational to climb Mt. Everest without some very warm clothing. irreparable (adj.) that
which cannot be
repaired or regained The damage to the house after the flood was irreparable. The head-on
collision left the car
irreparable.
irreproachable
itinerary
jaded
(adj.) worn-out
A person may become jaded if forced to work too many hours. jargon (n.) incoherent speech;
specialized vocabulary in
certain fields The conversation was nothing but jargon, but then the speakers were nothing but
cartoon characters who
specialize in an oddly bracing form of gibberish.
jeopardy
The campers realized they were in potential jeopardy when the bears surrounded their camp.
jester
The jester tried all of his tricks to get the girl to laugh. jettison (v.) to throw overboard goods to
lighten a vehicle; to discard
To raise the balloon above the storm clouds, they had to jettison the ballast.
jocund
The jocund atmosphere was due to the team’s victory in the playoffs.
jollity
The jollity of the crowd was seen in the cheering and laughing.
jovial
judicious
Because the elder was judicious, the tough decisions were left to him.
juncture
When the gas changed into a liquid, they sensed that they’d come to a critical juncture in their
experimentation.
juxtapose
The author decided to juxtapose the two sentences since they each strengthened the meaning of
the other.
ken
kindle
kinship
kith
knavery
knead
After mixing the ingredients, they kneaded the dough and set it aside to rise.
knotty
labyrinth
(n.) maze
lacerate
laconic
After a laconic introduction the program began. The people enjoyed the public addresses of the
laconic queen. laggard
(n.; adj.) a person who has fallen behind; moving slowly The laggard child was lost in the crowd.
Anything can happen in a swim meet: Last year’s leader can become this year’s laggard.
lambaste
If the boy broke the lamp his father will surely lambaste him. lambent (adj.) traveling gently over
surface; flickering
The lambent flame lit the dark room as the breeze wafted in. lament (v.; n.) to mourn or grieve;
expression of grief or
sorrow The boy is lamenting the loss of his pet.
Pedro’s only lament was that his wife didn’t outlive him.
languid
During her illness she was so languid she could not leave her bed.
larceny
After robbing the liquor store, she was found guilty of larceny.
lascivious
Known as a skirt-chaser, his lascivious ways seemed to all but preclude a stable marriage.
lassitude
Lassitude was evident in the nurses who had been working for 24 hours straight.
Ten days of continual work caused a feeling of lassitude for the worker.
latency
Its latency was small solace for the girl who feared that the cancer would
laud
(v.) praise
lax
She was lax in everything she did and therefore could not be trusted with important tasks.
lecherous
The lecherous Humbert Humbert is Nabokov’s protagonist in Lolita, a novel that sparked great
controversy because of
Humbert’s romantic attachment to a young girl.
lethargic
levee
levity
(n.) lack of seriousness; instability
The levity with which he faced the destruction hampered the rescue effort.
lewd
liaison
The student council served as a liaison between the faculty and the student body. liberalism (n.)
believing in
personal freedom (favoring reform or progress) If you believe in liberalism, the First Amendment is
sacrosanct.
libertine (n.) one who indulges his desires without restraint For the libertine, missing his child’s
birthday was not as
significant as missing a football game.
licentious
The people of Sodom and Gomorra were known for their licentious lifestyle.
ligneous
limber
lithe
litigate
When she found out she had been robbed, the woman was livid.
loiter
Many teenagers loiter around the mall when there is nothing else to do.
loquacious
She was having difficulty ending the conversation with her loquacious neighbor.
The staff knew the meeting would be long because the administrator was in a loquacious mood.
lucent
The flowing garment gave the woman a lucent quality when standing in the spotlight.
lucid
lucrative
She entered the pharmaceutical industry in the belief that it would be lucrative.
The man’s lugubrious heart kept him from enjoying the special occasion.
luminous
(adj.) emitting light; shining; also enlightened or intelligent The luminous quality of the precious
stone made it look
like a fallen star. They found their way through the darkness by heading toward the luminous
object in the distance.
lunge
lustrous
Surrounded by rubies, the lustrous diamond looked magnificent. luxuriant (adj.) to grow with
energy and in great
abundance The luxuriant flowers grew in every available space.
macerate
It was necessary to macerate the food before the elderly man could eat it.
They placed her foot in the solvent to macerate the cement she had stepped in. maculate (adj.;
v.) spotted,
blotched; hence defiled, impure (opposite: immaculate);
magnanimity
(n.; adj.) a quality of nobleness of mind, disdain of meanness or revenge; forgiving; unselfish
Being full of
magnanimity he asked the thief only for an apology and set him free.
The magnanimous store owner did not press charges once an apology was given.
The magnanimity of the professor overcame the rage of the student. malediction (n.) putting a
curse on someone;
talking negatively about another With the threat of a malediction, the man left the fortuneteller’s
house. Never
having a nice word to say about anyone, her conversations are full of malediction.
malefactor
malevolent
(adj.) wishing evil (opposite: benevolent)
The man threatened his opponent with threats and malevolent words.
malicious
The malicious employee slashed her tires for revenge. malign (v.; adj.) to speak evil of; having an
evil disposition
toward others (opposite: benign)
In her statement to the judge she maligned her soon-to-be ex-husband. She had such a malign
personality that no
one even tried to approach her, mostly out of fear. malinger (v.) to pretend to be ill in order to
escape work He will
malinger on Friday so he can go to the movies. The soldier will malinger to avoid fighting.
malleable
mandate
The new manager wrote a mandate declaring that smoking was now prohibited in the
office. manifest (v.; adj.) to
show clearly; to appear; obvious, clear The image should manifest itself as the building when the
fog lifts. When the
missing document suddenly manifested, the search for the person that buried it began.
America’s manifest destiny was to acquire all of the land between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
mar
(v.) damage
marauder
The marauder had been traveling for two months searching for the large stash. materialism (n.)
the belief that
everything in the universe is explained in terms of matter; the belief that worldly possessions are
the be-all and end-
all in life Spiritualists will tell you that materialism is only half the story. Some said that the
prince’s profligacy gave
materialism a bad name.
maudlin
The maudlin affair consisted of three speeches in honor of the benefactor. maverick (n.) a person
who does not
conform to the norm The maverick drove a large truck as others were purchasing compact
cars. meander (v.; adj.)
wind, wander; winding, wandering aimlessly The stream meanders through the valley.
Because we took a long, meandering walk, we arrived home well after dark.
melancholy
mellifluous
melodious
The melodious sounds of the band attracted many onlookers. menagerie (n.) a place to keep or a
collection of wild
or strange animals Little Ryan couldn’t wait to visit the zoo to see the menagerie of wild boars.
mendacious
The couple was swindled out of their life’s savings by the mendacious con men.
mentor
Alan consulted his mentor when he needed critical advice. mercenary (adj.; n.) working or done
for payment only;
hired (soldier) Lila was suspicious that Joe had jumped at the chance only for mercenary reasons.
A mercenary was hired for a hundred dollars a month, good money in those days even if you had
to fight a war to get
it.
mercurial
(adj.) quick, changeable, fickle
The mercurial youth changed outfits six times before deciding what to wear. meretricious (adj.)
deceptive beauty -
alluring by attractive appearance A cubic zirconia is a meretricious way of impressing others.
mesmerize
(v.) hypnotize
The swaying motion of the swing mesmerized the baby into a deep sleep.
metamorphosis
meticulous
The lab technicians must be meticulous in their measurements to obtain exact results.
mettle
mien
Her mien was typically one of distress, especially after the mishap.
mimicry
(n.) imitation
The comedian’s mimicry of the president’s gestures had the audience rolling in the aisles.
minatory
(adj.) threatening
minute
Being on a sodium-restricted diet, he uses only a minute amount of salt in his dishes. mire (v.) to
cause to get stuck
in wet, soggy ground The car became mired in the mud. misanthrope (n.) a person who distrusts
everything; a hater
of mankind After the man swindled all of the woman’s savings, she became a misanthrope.
miscreant
miser
The miser made no donations and loved counting his money every night. mite (n.) a very small
sum of money; very
small creature The mite they pay me is hardly worth the aggravation. The baseball team was
made up of such small
children they were nicknamed the “Mites”.
mitigate
She tried to mitigate the loss of his pet by buying him a kitten.
modulate
He modulated the color knob on the television set until the picture was perfect.
A trained singer knows how to modulate her voice to the desired pitches.
mollify
molten
(adj.) melted
Steel becomes molten after heating it to thousands of degrees. moot (adj.) subject to or open for
discussion or
debate The discussion of extending the girl’s curfew was a moot point.
mordant
morose
motif
(n.) theme
Although the college students lived in Alaska, they decided on a tropical motif for their dorm room.
motility
The motility of the car caused the driver to lunge for the brake.
mundane
Going food shopping soon became mundane, losing all of its excitement.
munificent
muse
myriad
Buying an old house often necessitates fixing a myriad of problems. Gazing up on the clear, dark
midnight sky, the
astronomer saw a myriad of stars. narcissistic (adj.) egotistical; self-centered; self-love, excessive
interest in ones
appearance, comfort, abilities, etc.
The nascent rage of in-line skating began on the West Coast. nautical (adj.) of the sea; having to
do with sailors,
ships, or navigation The coastal New England town had a charming nautical influence.
nebulous
The ten page directions were a collection of nebulous words and figures.
nefarious
The nefarious criminal was the scourge of the local police force.
nefariousness
The nefariousness of the ruler was apparent when he hoarded all of the food.
negligence
(n.) carelessness
Negligence contributed to the accident: She was traveling too fast for the icy conditions. nemesis
(n.) a person who
inflicts just punishment; retribution; a rival The criminal was killed by his nemesis, the brother of
the man he
murdered.
neologism
neophyte
Critics applauded the neophyte’s success and speculated how much better he would get with age
and experience.
The neophyte dancer was overcome by the fast tempo and exotic rhythms.
nettle
(v.) annoy; irritate
The younger brother nettled his older sister until she slapped him.
neutral
The mother remained neutral regarding the argument between her two children.
nexus
(n.) a connection
The nexus between the shuttle and the space station was successful.
noisome
The noisome food was the cause of their illness. The family was forced from the home by a
noisome odor. nostalgic
(adj.) longing for the past; filled with bittersweet memories She loved her new life, but became
nostalgic when she
met with her old friends.
nostrum
The nostrum of pine leaves and water did not seem to cure the illness. notorious (adj.) infamous;
renowned; having
an unfavorable connotation Discovering that her new neighbor was notorious for thievery, she
decided to purchase
an alarm system for her home. The criminal had a notorious reputation.
novel
(adj.) new
It was a novel idea for the rock group to play classical music.
noxious
nugatory
nullify
Drinking alcohol excessively will nullify the positive benefits of eating well and exercising daily.
oaf
The waiter has been called an oaf ever since he dropped the tray.
obdurate
(adj.) stubborn
obeisance
As an obeisance, the man took off his hat as the funeral procession drove past him.
obfuscate
objective
It’s hard to set aside your biases and be objective. The law student decided that her primary
objective after
graduation was to pass the Bar examination.
objurgate
The girls disliked those boys who objurgated the group. obligatory (adj.) mandatory; necessary;
legally or morally
binding In order to provide a reliable source of revenue for the government, it is obligatory for
each citizen to pay
taxes.
obliterate
The child suffered quite an obloquy at the hands of his classmates. Lawyers must face frequent
obloquy with their
reputation as “ambulance chasers.”
obscure
The orchestra enjoys performing obscure American works, hoping to bring them to a wider
audience.
obsequious
The man’s attraction to the woman would be obvious if his obsequious behavior could be noted.
The princess only seemed to encourage the obsequious behavior of her court to enhance her own
feeling of
superiority.
obsolete
obstinate
(adj.) stubborn
Her father would not allow her to stay out past midnight; she thought he was obstinate because he
would not change
his mind. obtrude (v.) to force oneself or one’s ideas upon another; to thrust forward; to eject The
inquisitive coworker
obtrudes into the conversation often. obtuse (adj.) dull; greater than 90± but less than 180±; slow
to understand or
perceive The man was so obtuse, he even made the dog yawn. The textbook problem asks the
reader to solve for the
obtuse angle.
obviate
The invention of cars has obviated the use of horse and carriage. A cure for the common cold
would obviate the
need for shelf after shelf of cold remedies. occult (adj.) hidden; beyond human understanding;
mystical; mysterious
The occult meaning of the message was one of dislike for the authorities. Some spend years
pursuing the occult,
only to find themselves no closer to the answer.
odious
Having to chaperone her brother was an odious chore for the girl. odium (n.) a hate; the disgrace
from a hateful
action Odium could be felt for the man who destroyed the school. oligarchy (n.) form of
government in which the
supreme power is placed in the hands of a small, exclusive group.
ominous
(adj.) threatening
Seeing ominous clouds on the horizon, the street fair organizers decided to fold up their tent and
go home.
omniscient
opalescent
(adj.) iridescent
Her new nail polish was opalescent making her finger tips look like pearls.
opaque
Not having been washed for years, the once beautiful windows of the Victorian home became
opaque.
opprobrious
(adj.) abusive
Nobody liked working for him because he was so opprobrious. optimist (n.) person who hopes for
the best; sees the
good side He’s ever the optimist, always seeing the glass as half full.
opulence
(n.) wealth; fortune
A 40-room mansion on 65 wooded acres is only the most visible sign of her opulence.
ornate
orthodox
The gifted child’s parents concluded that orthodox methods of education would not do their son
any good, so they
decided to teach him at home. oscillate (v.) to move back and forth; to have a wavering opinion
The oscillating
sprinkler system covered the entire lawn. The couple often oscillates between going out and
staying home.
ossify
ostensible
(adj.) apparent
The ostensible reason for choosing the girl was for her beauty.
ostentatious
Sure he’d won the lottery, but coming to work in a stretch limo seemed a bit ostentatious .
ostracize
(v.) to exclude
The students tend to ostracize the children they dislike from their games.
oust
p
(adj.) mocking; cynical
paean
pagan
(adj.) polytheistic
Moses, distraught over some of his people’s continuing pagan ways, smashed the stone tablets
bearing the Ten
Commandments.
painstaking
Helga’s painstaking research paid off with a top grade on her essay.
palatial
The new palatial home contained two pools and an indoor track for jogging. palindrome (n.) a
word or phrase which
reads the same backwards and forwards Bob, “Dad,” and “Madam” are examples of
palindromes. palliate (v.) to
alleviate or ease pain but not cure; to make appear less serious The medication will help palliate
the pain.
pallid
pallor
The more vivid the testimony grew, the more the witness seemed to take on a ghostly pallor.
palpable
The palpable decision was to discontinue the use of drugs. On a flight that had included a sudden
5,000-foot drop,
the passengers’ relief upon landing was palpable .
panegyric
Upon his retirement, he received a great panegyric from many of his associates.
His panegyric to his opponent stood in sharp contrast to the harsh tenor of the campaign.
paradigm
The machine could no longer be produced after the paradigm was destroyed.
The Massachusetts gubernatorial race was considered a paradigm of campaign civility. paradox
(n.) a tenet
seemingly contradictory or false, but actually true The paradox seemed so unlikely though it was
true. At first blush,
the company’s results were a paradox: Sales were down, yet profits were up. parapet (n.) a wall
for protection; a low
wall or railing The parapet protected the kingdom from the raging army. The parapet kept the
child from falling into
the river.
paraphernalia
She looked guilty since the drug paraphernalia was found in her apartment.
pariah
(n.) an outcast
The pariah of the group sat by himself under the tree. parity (n.) state of being the same in power,
value, or rank
When the younger brother was promoted to co-president with the elder son, it established parity
between the two.
parley
parochial
Governor Kean urged Republicans to rise above parochial interests and be the party of
inclusion. parody (n.) a piece
of work imitating another in a satirical manner; a poor imitation The play was a parody of the
Prince and Princess’s
marital difficulties. Ugh! This is a parody of a fashionable dress!
parry
I dislike talking to the woman so I will attempt to parry her by ducking around the corner. parse
(v.) to separate (a
sentence) into parts and describe the function of each An English teacher may ask a student to
parse a sentence.
parsimonious
The owner was so parsimonious he refused to purchase new curtains when the old ones fell off
the window.
The parsimonious individual argued that twenty-five cents was much too expensive for a pack of
gum. parsimony (n.)
to be unreasonably careful when spending The parsimony of the wealthy woman was uncalled
for. partisan (n.; adj.)
supporter; follower; biased; one-sided The union president is a partisan of minimum-wage
legislation. A partisan for
the incumbent mayor will not support the challenger.
passive
paucity
(n.) scarcity
The described feast was actually a buffet with a paucity of food. pavilion (n.) a large tent or
covered area, usually
used for entertainment The wedding pavilion was not only beautifully decorated, but also served
as welcome
protection from a sudden downpour.
peccadillo
The child was embarrassed when he was caught committing the peccadillo of eating chocolate
before dinner.
pecuniary
pedagogue
(n.) a teacher
Seeing the way she worked with children there was no doubt she was a true
pedagogue. pedantic (adj.) emphasizing
minutiae or form in scholarship or teaching Professor Jones’s lectures were so pedantic that his
students sometimes
had a tough time understanding the big picture. It is important to understand pedantic terminology
before beginning
a lecture.
pedestrian
pejorative
The pejorative comment deepened the dislike between the two families.
pellucid
(adj.) transparent
The pellucid material was not an adequate shield from the sun.
penchant
penitent
pensive
She was in a pensive mood, just wanting to be alone to think. My hours alone are often more
pensive than the time I
spend with friends.
penurious
The penurious man had millions of dollars, but lived in a cottage to save money.
Charles Dickens’ Scrooge is the most penurious character in any of his tales.
perceptive
The perceptive detective discovered that the murder weapon was hidden in a safe under the floor.
percussion
perdition
(n.) ruination
The perdition of the building was caused by the strong quake. peremptory (adj.) barring future
action; that cannot be
denied, changed, etc. The peremptory means of defense was satisfactory to keep out the
intruders.
The wildcat strike was a peremptory move on the part of the workers.
perfidious
The trust between the business associates was broken after the perfidious actions by one of the
partners. perfunctory
(adj.) done in a routine, mechanical way, without interest Change in career is a good cure for
someone who has
become bored with their occupation and is currently performing their duties in a perfunctory
fashion.
The girl will not improve unless she changes her perfunctory attitude.
peripheral
The peripheral shrubs were used to create a fence-like blockade. He thought he was my best
friend, when in fact, he
was a peripheral acquaintance.
perjury
The already sensational trial of a star athlete turned all the more so when it turned out that a
police detective had
committed perjury. Lying while on the witness stand is perjury.
permeable
Because the material was permeable, the water was able to drain.
pernicious
Standing oil combined with a fresh rain on the asphalt can have a pernicious impact on a driver’s
control of the
road. The pernicious fire engulfed four blocks of homes.
perpetual
perquisite
pertinent
During a trial everyone should concentrate on the same subject, stating only pertinent information.
peruse
A vast majority of time was spent perusing the possible solution to the dilemma.
pervade
pervasive
The home was filled with the pervasive aroma of baking bread. pessimism (n.) seeing only the
gloomy side;
hopelessness After endless years of drought, pessimism grew in the hearts of even the most
dedicated farmer.
petty
(adj.) unimportant; of subordinate standing
With all of the crime in the world, stealing bubble gum is considered petty theft.
petulant
The long illness put the boy in a petulant mood. The tone of his voice and the things that he says
become quite
petulant when he has not gotten enough sleep. phenomenon (n.) exceptional person; unusual
occurrence Not for
nothing do they call Yankee Stadium “The House that Ruth Built”-the Babe was a phenomenon.
The northern lights are a rare phenomenon for those not living near the Arctic Circle.
philanthropy
After years of donating time and money to the children’s hospital, Mrs. Elderwood was
commended for her
philanthropy. phlegmatic (adj.) without emotion or interest; sluggish and dull The playwright had
hoped his story
would take theatergoers on an emotional roller coaster, but on opening night they just sat there,
stonefaced and
phlegmatic.
phobia
pied
pinioned
pious
The religious couple believed that their pious method of worship would bring them eternal life.
The statues of the saints have pious symbolism. Many people think of this land as pious
territory. pique (n.; v.)
resentment at being slighted; to provoke Being passed over for the promotion aroused his
pique. The more he
piqued her, the redder she grew.
pithy
Columnist William Safire, a former presidential speech writer, has a way with words that often
yields pithy comments.
pittance
The reward money was only a pittance compared to the money lost. The little girl received a
pittance every week for
keeping her room clean.
placate
The entire family attempted to placate the stubborn child. With a soothing voice and the promise
of a juicy steak,
the trainer placated the escaped lion so that he wouldn’t hurt anyone.
placid
plaintive
platonic
(adj.) idealistic or impractical; not amorous or sensual The platonic advice of the doctor was to
stay away from all
odors. Our relationship is platonic now, but I hope it will someday be otherwise.
plausible
After weeks of trying to determine what or who was raiding the chicken coop, the farmer came up
with a plausible
explanation. After scrimping and saving for a decade, it was now plausible to send his daughter
to college.
plenary
(adj.) full; entire; complete
plethora
(n.) a superabundance
plumb
polemic
(adj.) controversial
polemicist
The polemicist could debate any case skillfully. pommel (n.) the rounded, upward-projecting front
of a saddle The
woman was so nervous about being on the horse she would not let go of the pommel.
ponderous
The ponderous piano posed a serious challenge to having it pulled up to the 16th floor.
As if being grainy wasn’t bad enough, the film’s ponderous story made it tough to get through.
portend
The distant roll of thunder portends of an oncoming storm. potable (adj.; n.) drinkable; a beverage
that is drinkable
The liquid was not potable, but rather poisonous. Sea water isn’t potable. potent (adj.) having
great power or
physical strength He took very potent medication and felt better immediately.
pragmatic
Since they were saving money to buy a new home, the pragmatic married couple decided not to
go on an expensive
vacation. A pragmatic solution to the car’s continual repairs would be to purchase a new car.
prate
It is not uncommon for people to prate when they become nervous about speaking to a
superior. prattle (n.; v.)
childish babble; to babble while speaking I’ve listened to his prattle for far too long.
The toddler does more prattling than talking. precarious (adj.) depending upon another; risky,
uncertain The
precarious plans fell through when the second couple changed their plans.
precept
The organization believed their members should abide by certain precepts. precipitate (v.; adj.) to
cause to happen;
happening quickly A rude comment may precipitate an argument. The precipitating flood caught
the village off-
guard.
preclude
A healthy diet and lifestyle will not preclude you from getting ill, although it improves your immune
system.
Exercise may help to preclude heart disease. precocious (adj.) developed or matured earlier than
usual The
precocious eight year-old wanted to read the romance novel. predecessor (n.) one who has
occupied an office
before another Although her predecessor did not accomplish any goals that would help the poor,
the new mayor was
confident that she could finally help those in need.
prefatory
premise
The prosecutor claimed that the defense lawyer’s premise was shaky, and thus his whole
argument was suspect.
preponderate (adj.) to outweigh; to be superior in amount, weight, etc. His positive qualities are
the preponderate
ones over his occasional rudeness. presage (n.) an omen; a foreshadowing characteristic They
considered the
rainbow at their wedding a presage for a happy life. Bright sun in the morning was a good
presage that it was going
to be a good day. prescience (n.) knowing about something before it happens The morning of the
big game I had a
prescience that we would win.
prescriptive
At the heart of the Australian aborigines’ prescriptive coming-of-age rite for men is a walkabout.
prevalent
Rain is usually more prevalent than snow during April. prevaricate (v.) to speak equivocally or
evasively, i.e., to lie
The mayor’s desperate attempt to prevaricate about the scandal was transparent to the voters.
His mother knew no one else could have done it, but the child foolishly prevaricated about the
stain on the rug.
pristine
The pristine lake had not been marred by pollution. She had such a pristine look about her, you
would have thought
she was an angel.
privy
He was one of a handful of people privy to the news of the pending merger.
probity
(n.) honesty
The young man’s probity was reassuring to the fearful parent. problematic (adj.) being hard to
deal with; unsolved
situation The constant squeak of the door was problematic. The tense political struggle remains
problematic.
prodigal
The actor’s prodigal lifestyle ultimately led to his undoing. Spending his rent money on your
birthday present was
more than generous, it was prodigal.
The prodigal gift by the poor woman was truly a thoughtful gesture.
prodigious
The prodigious festivities lasted until the wee hours of the morning.
profound
It was with profound regret and sorrow that the family had to leave their homeland for a more
prosperous country.
profusion (n.) great wastefulness; a large abundance of The profusion of the food-fight was
unforgivable considering
the worldwide hunger problem.
progeny
It is through his progeny that his name shall live on. The princes were the progeny of
royalty. program (n.) the parts
of entertainment; a plan for dealing with a matter; coded instructions The free-form music program
on Sunday nights
is virtually unique in commercial radio.
The program for better health is to eat more vegetables and fruits. The store’s computer program
allows sale
information to prompt at the register for certain items at certain hours.
proliferate
prolific
(adj.) fruitful
The merger resulted in a prolific business which became an asset to the community. promontory
(n.) a piece of land
jutting into a body of water The boat hit the rocky promontory, splitting the bow.
propagate
propensity
She has a propensity to hire men over women. propinquity (n.) closeness in time or place;
closeness of relationship
The propinquity of the disasters put the community in chaos. The propinquity of the two stories
was the basis of the
teacher’s lesson.
propitiate
prosaic
He wanted to do something new; he was tired of the prosaic activities his parents suggested each
day.
The only entertainment would be a prosaic game of cards. proselytize (v.) to convert from one
belief or religion to
another The preacher often attempts to proselytize wayward travelers. protocol (n.) an original
draft or record of a
document The protocol was given to the president once it was completed. proverbial (adj.) well-
known because it is
commonly referred to King Solomon’s proverbial wisdom has been admired through the ages.
provident
It was provident, in his opinion, to wait and buy the new car when he was financially secure.
provincial
After living in the city for five years, he found that his family back home on the farm was too
provincial for his
cultured ways. proviso (n.) A clause stating a condition or stipulation The governor began the
conference with a
proviso stating the disastrous results of the flood.
provocative
provoke
quagmire
quaint
One of the best qualities of the bed-and-breakfast was its quaint setting in the charming English
village.
qualified
She was well qualified for the job after working the field for ten years.
qualm
His qualms about flying disappeared once the plane landed softly.
quandary
(n.) dilemma
Joe and Elizabeth were caught in a quandary: Should they spend Thanksgiving with his parents or
hers?
Unable to make a firm decision, I’ve been in this quandary for weeks. When the car broke down
the commuter was
left in a quandary. quarantine (n.) isolation of a person or persons to prevent the spread of
disease To be sure they
didn’t bring any contagions back to Earth, the astronauts were put under quarantine when they
returned.
quiescence
(n.) state of being at rest or without motion
quiescent
Everyone deserves a day off and should remain quiescent on Sundays. The Bible says that the
Lord created the
Earth in six days and on the seventh He was quiescent.
quintessence
quirk
Our vacation went smoothly save for one quirk-a hurricane that came barreling into the coastline
as we were
preparing to head home. The plot of that movie had so many quirks that it became very hard to
follow.
Always needing to put the left shoe on first is a peculiar quirk. quixotic (adj.) foolishly idealistic;
romantically
idealistic; extravagantly chivalrous He was popular with the ladies due to his quixotic charm. She
had a quixotic
view of the world, believing that humans need never suffer. rabid (adj.; n.) furious; with extreme
anger; a disease
affecting animals The insult made him rabid.
Discovering that the dog was rabid, the mail carrier knew he’d have to get a shot.
He’s been a rabid sports fan for as long as I have known him.
raconteur
Our entertainment was a raconteur who told a story of talking animals. ramification (n.) the
arrangement of branches;
consequence One of the ramifications of driving fast is getting a speeding ticket.
rampant
Social unrest was rampant because of the lack of food available to the people.
rampart
rancid
rancor
Her rancor for the man was evident in her hateful expression. Sure they had their disagreements,
but there was no
rancor between them. rant (v.) to speak in a loud, pompous manner; rave He disputed the bill
with the shipper,
ranting that he was dealing with thieves.
rapacious
Rapacious actions were needed to take the gun from the intruder.
ratify
The Senate ratified the new law that would prohibit companies from discriminating according to
race in their hiring
practices. Hunters were called in to rarefy the deer population. rationalize (v.) to offer reasons
for; account for on
rational grounds His daughter attempted to rationalize why she had dropped out of college, but
she could not give
any good reasons. raucous (adj.) disagreeable to the sense of hearing; harsh; hoarse The
raucous protesters stayed
on the street corner all night, shouting their disdain for the whale killers. raze (v.) to scrape or
shave off; to obliterate
or tear down completely The plow will raze the ice from the road surface. It must be time to give
the cat a manicure;
she razed my skin last night. They will raze the old Las Vegas hotel to make room for a $2.5
billion gambling palace.
realm
In the realm of health care, the issue of who pays and how is never far from the surface.
rebuttal
(n.) refutation
The lawyer’s rebuttal to the judge’s sentencing was to present more evidence to the case.
recalcitrant
The boy became recalcitrant when the curfew was enforced. The recalcitrant youth dyed her hair
purple, dropped
out of school, and generally worked hard at doing whatever others did not want her to do.
recession
Oscar’s gum recession left him with sensitive teeth. Soaring unemployment in the nation’s
industrial belt triggered
recession. recidivism (n.) habitual or chronic relapse of criminal or antisocial offenses Even after
intense therapy the
parolee experienced several episodes of recidivism, and was eventually sent back to
prison. reciprocal (adj.) mutual;
having the same relationship to each other Hernando’s membership in the Picture of Health
Fitness Center gives him
reciprocal privileges at 245 health clubs around the U.S. Although his first child was adopted, she
had a reciprocal
relationship with her father. recluse (adj.; n.) solitary; a person who lives secluded His recluse life
seems to make him
happy.
Howard Hughes, among the most famous and enigmatic figures of the 20th century, ultimately
retreated to a life as a
recluse.
recondite
The students were dumbfounded by the recondite topic. Many scientific theories are recondite,
and therefore not
known at all by the general public.
rectify
(v.) correct
The service manager rectified the shipping mistake by refunding the customer’s money.
recumbent
(adj.) resting
recusant
Recusant inmates may be denied privileges. redolent (adj.) sweet-smelling; having the odor of a
particular thing The
redolent aroma of the pie tempted everyone. The restaurant was redolent with the smell of
spices. redundant (adj.)
wordy; repetitive; unnecessary to the meaning The redundant lecture of the professor repeated
the lesson in the text.
Her comments were both redundant and sarcastic. With millions of transactions at stake, the
bank built a redundant
processing center on a separate power grid.
refurbish
The Newsomes are refurbishing their old colonial home with the help of an interior designer.
refute
regal
The regal home was lavishly decorated and furnished with European antiques.
reiterate
Rose found that she had to reiterate almost everything, leading her to fear her husband was going
deaf.
If you did not hear me the first time, I will reiterate the directions for you.
relegate
With Internal Affairs launching an investigation into charges that Officer Wicker had harassed a
suspect, he was
relegated to desk duty.
relevant
Asking applicants about their general health is relevant since much of the job requires physical
strength.
relinquish
House Speaker Jim Wright had to relinquish his position after an ethics investigation undermined
his authority.
remonstrate
remorse
The prosecutor argued that the defendant had shown no remorse for his actions.
renascence
The renascence of the band resulted in a new recording contract. rend (v.) to rip or pull from; to
split with violence;
to disturb with a sharp noise The kidnapper rent the newborn baby from the arms of its mother as
she was leaving the
hospital.
A freakish water spout rent the fishing boat in half. Every morning, the 5:47 local out of New
Brunswick rends the
dawn’s silence with its air horn.
render
The Yorkville First Aid Squad was first on the scene to render assistance. renegade (n.) a person
who abandons
something, as a religion, cause or movement; a traitor Benedict Arnold remains one of the most
notorious renegades
in American history.
repast
replica
reprehend
Finding the need to reprehend the student’s actions, she gave her detention. reproach (v.) to
blame and thus make
feel ashamed; to rebuke The major reproached his troops for not following orders.
reprobate
reproof
(n.) a rebuke
For all his hard work, all he got was a reproof of his efforts. repudiate (v.) to disown; to deny
support for; reject; cancel
The man will repudiate all claims that he was involved in the deal. Although his party supported
the bill, this senator
repudiated it.
repugnant
The repugnant actions of the man made others lose trust in him.
resignation
He submitted his resignation because he found a new job. You could see the resignation on his
face: Things just
weren’t working out as he’d expected. resilient (adj.) flexible; capable of withstanding stress The
elderly man
attributed his resilient health to a good diet and frequent exercise.
resolution
Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell journeyed to Ireland to help bring about a peaceful
resolution to years of strife.
resonant
respite
The team was given a respite from the long practice schedule.
resplendent
resurgent
reticent
The reticent girl played with her building blocks while the other children played tag.
retract
retroaction
The retroaction of the car sent those standing behind it fleeing. The bill’s retroaction stood to save
taxpayers an
average of $500 a head. reverent (adj.) respectful; feeling or showing deep love, respect, or awe
The congregation
was very reverent of its spiritual leader. reverie (n.) the condition of being unaware of one’s
surroundings, trance;
dreamy thinking or imagining, especially of agreeable things As their anniversary neared, Lisa fell
into a reverie as
she recalled all the good times she and Roscoe had had.
revile
It is not appropriate for a teacher to revile a student. rhapsodize (v.) to speak or write in a very
enthusiastic manner
Hearing the general rhapsodize about his time as a plebe sent a wave of recognition through the
academy grads.
rhetorical (adj.) having to do with verbal communication; artificial eloquence In posing a rhetorical
question, he
hoped to get people thinking. The perception that Gary Hart was spouting rhetorical flourishes
enabled fellow
Democrat Walter Mondale to score debate points by asking, “Where’s the beef?”
ribald
rigor
(n.) severity
rivet
She could not look away from the morbid scene; she was riveted to it.
roseate
(adj.) rose-colored
rout
(n.; v.) a noisy or disorderly crowd; a retreat or terrible defeat; to dig up The rout kept the police
busy all morning with
crowd control. The Scarlet Knights beat the Fighting Irish in a rout, 56-14.
rudimentary
(adj.) elementary
ruffian
ruminate
Facing a tough decision, he decided to ruminate before making his thoughts known.
rummage
Determined to find his college yearbook, he rummaged through every box in the garage. rustic
(adj.) plain and
unsophisticated; homely; of or living in the country The president enjoyed spending weekends at
Camp David, a
rustic retreat in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland. saga (n.) a legend; any long story of
adventure or heroic deed
The saga of King Arthur and his court has been told for generations.
sagacious
(adj.) wise
Many of her friends came to her with their problems because she gave sagacious advice.
salient
What’s salient about the report is its documentation of utter despair in the heartland of the richest
nation on Earth.
His most salient feature is his nose.
salubrious
(adj.) promoting good health
salutatory
Two messengers were sent to the new neighbors with a salutatory letter.
salvage
The family tried to salvage their belongings after their home was destroyed by a tornado. sanction
(v.; n.) an act of
giving authoritative permission; to give encouragement; a blockade The government has
sanctioned the meetings as
a worthy cause. He did more than tolerate her actions, he sanctioned them. Before committing
troops to war, the
president wanted to give the sanctions a chance to work.
sanguine
sapid
sarcasm
The teacher did not appreciate the student’s sarcasm and gave him detention.
sardonic
H.L. Mencken was known for his sardonic writings on political figures. satire (n.) a novel or play
that uses humor or
irony to expose folly The new play was a satire that exposed the President’s inability to lead the
country.
saturate
(v.) soak thoroughly; drench
She saturated the sponge with soapy water before she began washing the car.
saturnine
saunter
savant
The savant accepted his award of excellence. savor (v.) to receive pleasure from; to enjoy with
appreciation; dwell
on with delight After several months without a day off, she savored every minute of her week-long
vacation.
scanty
The malnutrition was caused by the scanty amount of healthy food eaten each day.
schism
When the group could not decide on a plan of action, a schism occurred.
scourge
scrupulous
After finding a purse with valuable items inside, the scrupulous Mr.
scrutinize
(v.) examine closely; study
After allowing his son to borrow the family car, the father scrutinized every section for dents.
scurrilous
(adj.) vulgarity
sectarian
A sectarian precluded him from listening to the other side. sedentary (adj.) characterized by
sitting; remaining in one
locality The sedentary child had not moved after two hours. The old woman who never left her
home town has led a
sedentary life.
sedition
(n.) a revolt
The sedition by the guards ended with their being executed for treason.
sedulous
seethe
sequester
serendipity
(n.) an apparent aptitude for making fortunate discoveries accidentally Serendipity seemed to
follow the lucky winner
where ever he went.
serrated
(adj.) having a saw-toothed edge
While camping, the family used a serrated band saw to cut firewood.
servile
He knew they both possessed equal abilities, and yet he was always treated as a servile
underling.
The servile nurse did everything the doctor told her to do.
shady
shoal
shoddy
The state’s attorney said many homes, as they were built with shoddy materials, were bound to
just blow apart even in
winds of 60 or 70 miles per hour.
sinuous
Sinuous mountain roads at night present extra danger at night when it’s harder to see the road’s
edge.
skeptic
(n.) doubter
Even after seeing evidence that his competitor’s new engine worked, the engineer remained a
skeptic that it was
marketable.
skulk
The woman attempted to skulk away from cleaning the house by hiring a cleaning service.
slander
Orville said he’d been slandered, and he asked the court who would-or could- give him his name
back.
sloth
slothful
(adj.) lazy
slovenly
(adv.) sloppy
His mother-in-law did not approve of his slovenly manner. sodden (adj.) soggy; dull in action as if
from alcohol The
flowers were sodden after the rain.
sojourn
The family will sojourn at their summer home. The guest remained only for a sojourn; she was
going to leave in the
afternoon.
solace
When her father passed away, she found solace amongst her friends and family. solemnity (n.) a
deep, reverent
feeling often associated with religious occasions The church service was full of solemnity.
The solemnity of the funeral procession stood in stark contrast to the young children splashing
with delight in a
nearby pool.
solicit
(v.) ask; seek
The jobless man solicited employment from many factories before he was able to find
work. soliloquy (n.) a talk one
has with oneself (esp. on stage) Imagine T.S. Eliot’s poem The Waste Land performed on stage
as a kind of soliloquy!
The soliloquy by the man standing alone on the cliff sent a message of regret. solubility (n.) that
can be solved; that
can be dissolved The solubility of sugar causes it to disappear when put in water.
somber
soporific
The soporific medication should not be taken when you need to drive.
sordid
The sordid gutters needed to be cleaned after the long, rainy autumn. The criminals thought
patterns were so sordid
that he was not granted parole.
sovereign
(adj.) superior
The power was given to the sovereign warrior. specious (adj.) plausible, but deceptive;
apparently, but not actually,
true The jury forewoman said the jury saw through the defense lawyer’s specious argument and
convicted his client
on the weight of the evidence.
spelunker
The spelunker made a startling discovery in the old mine. spendthrift (n.) a person who spends
money extravagantly
The spendthrift bought two new necklaces and three pairs of shoes.
splenetic
spurious
Spurious claims by the importer hid the fact that prison labor had been used in the garments’
fabrication.
spurn
The woman spurned the advances of her suitor, saying she wasn’t ready for a commitment.
Unlucky enough to be the ninth telemarketer to call Jane that evening, he caught her spurn.
squalid
The lack of sanitation piping caused squalid conditions. He makes good money, but I would never
want to work in
those squalid crawl spaces.
stagnant
staid
stamina
(n.) endurance
Anybody who can finish the New York Marathon has lots of stamina.
stanch
It is necessary to stanch the bleeding from the wound as soon as possible. stanza (n.) group of
lines in a poem having
a definite pattern The poet uses an odd simile in the second stanza of the poem.
static
(adj.) inactive; changeless
The view while riding in the train across the endless, flat landscape remained static for days.
The static water of the lake reflected the image of the trees.
steadfast
(adj.) loyal
The secret service agents are steadfast to their oath to protect the president.
stigma
stigmatize
stipend
She receives a monthly stipend for her help with the project. The bank will pay the woman a
stipend of a hundred
dollars a week. stoic (adj.) detached; unruffled; calm; austere indifference to joy, grief, pleasure,
or pain The soldier
had been in week after week of fierce battle; nonetheless, he remained stoic.
stoke
With the last embers dying, he stoked the fire one more time.
stolid
With a stolid expression, the man walked away from the confrontation.
striated
stridency
(n.) harshness or shrillness sound
strident
Her strident voice hampered her chances of getting the announcer position.
stupor
stymie
suave
She was a suave negotiator, always getting what she wanted without anyone feeling they’d lost
anything.
subjugate
The bully will attempt to subjugate the remainder of the class. The royal family subjugated the
peasants, making
them perform hard labor.
subliminal
Critics of advertising say that it’s loaded with subliminal messages. subsidiary (adj.) giving a
service; being in a
subordinate position The function of the subsidiary was to oversee the bank’s commercial loans.
He acknowledged the importance of the issue, but called it subsidiary to a host of other
concerns. substantive (adj.)
existing independently of others; a large quantity The only company not acquired in the merger
retained its
substantive existence.
The AFL was subsumed by the NFL in the 1960s. subtlety (n.) propensity of understatement; so
slight as to be barely
noticeable There was no subtlety in the protest; each person carried a sign and yelled for civil
rights.
With great subtlety we slipped away from the boring party. succinct (adj.) clearly stated;
characterized by
conciseness The speech was succinct yet emotional.
Usually, the most succinct definition is the right one. Articles in USA Today are so succinct that
some observers
nicknamed the newspaper “McPaper.”
succor
Succor was given to the fire victim in the form of clothes and temporary shelter.
succumb
suffuse
(v.) to overspread
The rain will suffuse the spilled sand around the patio.
sumptuous
A sumptuous spread of meats, vegetables, soups and breads was prepared for the guests.
sunder
The Civil War threatened to sunder the United States. Management seeks to sunder the workers’
connections to the
union. sundry (adj.) various; miscellaneous; separate; distinct This store sells many sundry
novelty items.
Sundry items may be purchased as a single item. superficial (adj.) on the surface, narrow
minded; lacking depth The
victim had two stab wounds, but luckily were only superficial.
superfluous
(adj.) unnecessary; extra
Although the designer considered the piece superfluous, the woman wanted the extra chair in her
bedroom.
Only the first sentence is necessary; all of these details are superfluous. After they finished their
seven-course meal, a
large dessert seemed superfluous.
superlative
supplant
suppliant
Her suppliant request of wanting to know the name of the man was met with a laugh.
suppress
The illegal aliens were suppressed by the border patrol. surfeit (v.; n.) excessively indulging;
overindulgence The
teenagers were warned not to surfeit at the party. The result of her surfeit was a week of regret.
surmise
He surmised how the play would end before the second act began.
surpass
After recovering from a serious illness, the boy surpassed the doctor’s expectations by leaving the
hospital two days
early.
surreptitious
susceptible
She gets an annual flu shot since she is susceptible to becoming ill.
swathe
sycophant
(n.) flatterer
Rodolfo honed his skills as a sycophant, hoping it would get him into Sylvia’s good graces.
The sycophant is known for attending many parties. syllogism (n.) reasoning in order from
general to particular The
syllogism went from fish to guppies.
symmetry
synthetic
table
tacit
The National Security Agency aide argued, in effect, that he had received the president’s tacit
approval for the arms-
for-hostages deal. taciturn (adj.) inclined to silence; speaking little; dour, stern The man was so
taciturn it was
forgotten that he was there.
tantalize
tarry
taut
They knew a fish was biting, because the line suddenly became taut.
tawdry
tedious
Cleaning the house is a tedious chore for some people. With so many new safety precautions
instituted, flying has
become a tedious affair. teem (v.) to be stocked to overflowing; to pour out; to empty The new
plant seemed to be
teeming with insects. It is healthier to teem the grease from the broth before serving it.
temerity
(n.) foolhardiness
Temerity can result in tragedy if the activity is dangerous. temper (v.) to moderate, as by mingling
with something
else; to bring to the proper condition by treatment She drew a hot bath, but then realized she’d
have to temper it with
a little cool water or end up scalded.
The craftsman tempered the steel before being able to twist it to form a table leg.
temperament
tenacious
With a tenacious grip, the man was finally able to pull the nail from the wall.
tenet
tensile
The pipeline was capable of flexing to withstand the tremendous tensile strain that might
accompany an seismic
movement.
tentative
Not knowing if he’d be able to get the days off, Al went ahead anyway and made tentative
vacation plans with his pal.
tenuous
The hurricane force winds ripped the tenuous branches from the tree. The spectators panicked
as they watched the
cement block dangle from one tenuous piece of twine. tepid (adj.) lacking warmth, interest,
enthusiasm; lukewarm
The tepid bath water was perfect for relaxing after a long day.
termagant
terrestrial
terse
She believed in getting to the point, so she always gave terse answers. The terse speech
contained only the
essential comments. tether (n.) the range or limit of one’s abilities; rope or chain used to keep a
boat from drifting or
an animal from wandering My tether of playing basketball is shooting air balls. The bulldog was
tethered to his
doghouse.
thrall
(n.) a slave
The worker was treated like a thrall, having to work many hours of overtime.
thrifty
Being thrifty, the woman would not purchase the item without a coupon.
throe
A particularly violent throe knocked her off her feet. The wounded soldier squirmed in throes of
agony. thwart (v.)
prevent from accomplishing a purpose; frustrate Their attempt to take over the country was
thwarted by the palace
guard. timbre (n.) the quality of sound which distinguishes one from another The timbre of guitar
music is different
from that of piano music.
timorous
torpid
The old, torpid dog spent most of his time sleeping. tortuous (adj.) full of twists and turns; not straight forward;
possibly deceitful The suspect confessed after becoming confused by the tortuous questioning of
the captain.
toxic
(adj.) poisonous
It’s best to store cleansing solutions out of children’s reach because of their toxic
contents. tractable (adj.) easily
managed (opposite: intractable) The boat was so lightweight it was tractable by one person.
Having a tractable staff made her job a lot easier.
traduce
tranquillity
The tranquillity of the tropical island was reflected in its calm blue waters and warm sunny climate.
transmutation
Somewhere in the network’s entertainment division, the show underwent a transmutation from a
half-hour sitcom into
an hour-long drama.
transmute
(v.) to transform
transpire
traumatic
It was a traumatic accident, leaving the driver with a broken vertebra, a smashed wrist, and a
concussion.
travail
The farmer was tired after the travail of plowing the fields.
trek
They had to trek through the dense forest to reach the nearest village.
trenchant
(adj.) cutting; keen or incisive words
Without a trenchant tool, they would have to break the branches rather than cut them.
trepidation
With great trepidation, the boy entered the water for the first time.
tribunal
tribute
trite
The committee was looking for something new, not the same trite ideas.
trivial
Although her mother felt otherwise, she considered her dish washing chore trivial.
troth
truculent
Truculent fighting broke out in the war-torn country. The truculent beast approached the crowd
with wild eyes and
sharpened claws.
truncate
(v.) to shorten by cutting
With the football game running over, the show scheduled to follow it had to be truncated.
tumid
The tumid river washed away the homes built on the shore.
The tumid balloon floated, but the empty one did not.
tumult
The tumult was caused by two boys wanting the same toy.
turbid
The turbid green waters of the lake prevented them from seeing the bottom. turbulence (n.)
condition of being
physically agitated; disturbance Everyone on the plane had to fasten their seat belts as the plane
entered an area of
turbulence.
turmoil
Before the country recovered after the war, they experienced a time of great turmoil.
turpitude
(n.) vileness
The turpitude of the action caused a rage among the people. tutelage (n.) the condition of being
under a guardian
or a tutor Being under the tutelage of a master musician is a great honor.
tycoon
tyranny
ubiquitous
ulterior
She was usually very selfish, so when she came bearing gifts he suspected that she had ulterior
motives.
My ulterior concerns are more important than my immediate ones. The man’s ulterior motive was
to spy on the lab,
though he said he wanted a job.
umbrage
unalloyed
uncanny
uncouth
undermine
The attempts to undermine the merger were unsuccessful. The supervisor undermined the
director’s power and
began controlling the staff.
unequivocal
(adj.) clear and unambiguous
The 50-0 vote against the bill was an unequivocal statement against the measure.
unfeigned
Her unfeigned reaction of surprise meant she had not expected the party.
ungainly
The ungainly man knocked over the plant stand. uniform (adj.) never changing, always with the
same standard The
marching band moved in uniform across the field. Patrons of fast-food chains say they like the
idea of a uniform
menu wherever they go.
unique
The jeweler assured him that the dubloon was unique, as it was part of the long lost treasure of
the Atocha. universal
(adj.) concerning everyone; existing everywhere Pollution does not affect just one country or
state- it’s a universal
problem. unobtrusive (adj.) out of the way; remaining quietly in the background The shy man
found an unobtrusive
seat in the far corner of the room. It was easy to miss the unobtrusive plaque above the fireplace.
unprecedented
Weeks of intense heat created unprecedented power demands, which the utilities were hard
pressed to meet.
unpretentious
He was an unpretentious farmer: An old John Deere and a beat-up Ford pick-up were all he
needed to get the job
done. unruly (adj.) not submitting to discipline; disobedient The unruly boys had to be removed
from the concert
hall.
untoward
unwonted
(adj.) rare
The unwonted raise would be the only one received for a few years. The changed migratory
habits of the Canada
geese, though unwonted, is unwanted because of the mess they make.
upshot
The upshot of the debate was that the bill would be released to the floor.
urbane
The gala concert and dinner dance was attended by the most urbane individuals.
The English businessman was described by his peers as witty and urbane. usurpation (n.) art of
taking something for
oneself; seizure During the war, the usurpation of the country forced an entirely new culture on the
natives. usury (n.)
the lending of money with an excessively high interest rate An interest rate 30 points above the
prime rate would be
considered usury in the United States.
Loan sharks frequently practice usury, but their debtors usually have little choice but to keep quiet
and pay up.
utopia (n.) imaginary land with perfect social and political systems Voltaire wrote of a utopia where
the streets were
paved with gold.
waft
waive
I will waive my rights to have a lawyer present because I don’t think I need one.
wan
After time, interest in the show will wane and it will no longer be as popular.
The full moon waned until it was nothing but a sliver in the sky. wanton (adj.) unmanageable;
unjustifiably malicious
My wanton hunger must be satiated.
It is hard to lose weight when one has a wanton desire for sweets.
warrant
The police official warranted the arrest of the suspect once enough proof had been found.
welter
When the emergency alarm sounded, a welter of shivering office workers formed in the street as
people evacuated
the site. The welter moved from street to street to escape the fire.
wheedle
The crook may attempt to wheedle the money from the bank.
whet
whimsical
Strolling down Disney World’s Main Street is bound to put child and grown-up alike in a whimsical
mood.
wily
(adj.) concealing; sly
winsome
His winsome words moved the crowd to love him even more.
wither
The plant withered slowly since it received little light and little water.
wizened
The wizened face of the old man was covered by his hat.
wooden
The wooden expression of the man made him look like a statue.
workaday
(adj.) commonplace
The workaday meal was not exciting to the world class chef.
wrath
Do not trespass on his property or you will have to deal with his wrath.
wreak
The dragon will wreak havoc upon the countryside. wrest (v.) to pull or force away by a violent
twisting The warriors
wrest the power from the king. wretched (adj.) miserable or unhappy; causing distress Brought up
in an orphanage,
Annie led a wretched existence. The continual rain made for a wretched vacation.
wry
Xenophobia kept the townspeople from encouraging any immigrants to move into the
neighborhood.
yoke
The jockey led her horse by the yoke around its neck and face.
yore
When he sees his childhood friends, they speak about the days of yore.
zealot
The zealot followed whatever rules the cult leader set. zenith (n.) point directly overhead in the
sky; highest point
The astronomer pointed her telescope straight up toward the zenith. The Broncos seemed to be
at the zenith of their
power just as their rivals on the turf were flagging.
zephyr